Uttarakhand Snowfall Closes Roads, SDRF Rescues Stranded Travelers

He said several parts of Uttarakhand's Chamoli district received snowfall from Friday evening, which led the district administration to take precautionary measures.

Speaking to ANI, SP Pawar said that following the snowfall, multiple vehicles began skidding on snow-covered roads, after which the administration temporarily closed several key routes in the district.

"Several parts of Chamoli district received snowfall yesterday evening. As a precautionary measure, the administration temporarily closed the Mandal-Chopta road, Gairsain road, Gwaldam road, and the Joshimath-Auli road after multiple vehicles started skidding due to snow," SP Pawar told ANI.

He further informed that the situation has since improved, and traffic movement on the Joshimath-Auli road has been restored. "Traffic on the Joshimath-Auli road has now been restored and is operating normally," the SP said.

SP Pawar added that the Chamoli traffic police are actively deployed on the ground to manage traffic and ensure the safety of commuters amid prevailing weather conditions. "The Chamoli traffic police are actively engaged in managing the arrangements, and tourist movement to Auli has resumed through 4x4 vehicles," he said.

Heavy snowfall on Friday night left vehicles and people stranded at several locations in the high-altitude areas of Nainital, Uttarkashi, and Tehri Garhwal districts.

Based on information received from the DCR Nainital and the District Disaster Management Department, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams acted swiftly and rescued stranded vehicles and passengers in the Ramgarh-Mukteshwar and Dhanachuli Band areas.

In the Dhanachuli Band area, the teams cleared snow from the road using a JCB machine and safely evacuated approximately 20 to 25 vehicles.

In a similar operation, the SDRF Post Ghansali team rescued eight people, along with their vehicle, after they were stranded in snow near Badiyar village on the Mayali Road. The team safely brought all of them to Ghansali. The rescued individuals were returning from a wedding ceremony.

Additionally, the SDRF Headquarters Ujeli, Uttarkashi team evacuated around 75 people stranded in snow on the Lambgaon Motor Road in the Chaurangi area and shifted them to safe locations.

The SDRF conducted coordinated, effective rescue operations at all affected sites. All individuals are safe, and authorities have reported no loss of life.

- ANI