Uttarakhand rain chaos: Lightning kills two, 84 roads blocked under alerts
Two people died after being struck by lightning in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar district as relentless rain affected most parts of the state, prompting the administration to
Two people died after being struck by lightning in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar district as relentless rain affected most parts of the state, prompting the administration to stay on alert after red and orange warnings were issued for 10 districts for Sunday. The State Emergency Operation Centre said 84 roads, including two national highways, have been blocked by landslides triggered by incessant rain at various places across the state. The Meteorological Department has warned of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in several areas from Sunday over the next few days. Read Full Story According to the SEOC, Naveen Singh, 33, a resident of Daluwala Majbata, and Randhir Singh, 45, a resident of Khalatira, died after being struck by lightning in Haridwar on Saturday evening.
An orange alert has been issued for Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Haridwar and Bageshwar districts, while a yellow alert is in place for Chamoli, Almora and Pithoragarh. A red alert has been issued for Dehradun, Haridwar and Tehri for July 20, while Nainital, Uttarkashi and Pauri are under an orange alert. For July 21, an orange alert has been issued for Dehradun and Bageshwar, and a yellow alert for Tehri, Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi, Nainital, Chamoli and Pithoragarh. A yellow alert has also been issued for Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh for July 22, with forecasts of thunderstorms, lightning and heavy rain in most areas.
In view of the warning, the SEOC has instructed all district magistrates to remain alert and take necessary precautionary measures. State Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said district magistrates have been directed to closely monitor vulnerable areas, maintain round-the-clock readiness at district emergency operation centres, keep relief and rescue teams on standby, and ensure the availability of machinery and resources on landslide-prone routes. He also appealed to Char Dham Yatra pilgrims, tourists and the public to avoid unnecessary travel, check weather and road conditions before setting out, and stay away from rivers, streams, ravines and waterlogged areas during heavy rain. The department said heavy rainfall was recorded in several parts of the state in the last 24 hours.
The SEOC said traffic has been disrupted due to landslides on the Tawaghat-Gunji Highway near Garbadhar in Pithoragarh district and on the Rishikesh-Yamunotri Highway near Paligad, Syanachatti and Ojari in Uttarkashi district. Efforts are underway to clear the blocked roads. Overall, the state remains on alert as heavy rain continues, with road links affected and authorities asking people to take precautions. Ends With inputs from PTI
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