Uttarakhand: CM Dhami directs officials to stay on alert amid heavy rainfall
Dehradun, July 19
In view of the heavy rainfall being reported across various parts of Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday directed Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan and Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman to closely monitor the situation.
As per the Chief Minister's office, the administration must take immediate action wherever heavy rainfall, landslides, or road blockages occur. He instructed that all relief and rescue teams must remain fully prepared and ensure timely assistance to affected people.
He also directed officials to prioritise the restoration of essential services, including roads, electricity, drinking water, and communication networks, in case of any disruption. Continuous monitoring of the Char Dham Yatra routes and all major roads has also been instructed.
Chief Minister Dhami appealed to residents and visitors to Uttarakhand to strictly follow advisories issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the local administration. He urged people to avoid unnecessary travel during adverse weather conditions and stay away from landslide-prone areas and swollen rivers and streams. In case of any emergency or inconvenience, people should immediately contact the local administration.
The Chief Minister said the state government is on full alert, and all concerned departments have been placed in alert mode to ensure a swift and effective response to any emergency situation.
Meanwhile, light rain and fog were witnessed across Rudraprayag district this morning. However, the water levels of all major rivers, including the Alaknanda and Mandakini, remain within the normal range, DDMO Rudraprayag Nandan Singh Rajwar said.
The District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC) has urged residents to remain vigilant and immediately report any disaster-related incident to the administration.
Speaking to ANI, DDMO Rudraprayag Rajwar said, "River water levels are currently normal, but there remains a possibility of them rising due to rainfall; therefore, locals and travellers are urged not to go near the riverbanks unnecessarily."
As of Sunday morning, the Alaknanda River was flowing at 623.40 metres, the Mandakini River at 622.39 metres, Ganganagar at 799.25 metres, and Gaurikund at 1,973.82 metres. Officials said all river levels are below their respective warning thresholds.
The district administration stated that all major rivers are currently flowing normally. However, in view of the ongoing monsoon, all departments have been directed to remain on high alert and immediately report any natural disaster, road blockage, or accident to the District Emergency Operations Centre.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As someone from Uttarakhand, I appreciate the quick response. But Char Dham yatra should be regulated during monsoon - too many tourists get stuck every year. Hope authorities enforce advisories strictly.
At least water levels are normal for now. But we all remember the 2013 Kedarnath tragedy - hope history doesn't repeat. Government should also educate locals and tourists about emergency protocols in regional languages.
Nice to see proactive governance! But ground reality matters - are rescue teams actually equipped with modern gear? Saw last year some places had outdated equipment. Hope this time is different.
As a pilgrim who just returned from Char Dham, I can say the roads are in poor condition even before rains. Why no maintenance during dry months? Now with landslides, it'll be chaos. Disappointed with planning.
Interesting to see the contrast with our disaster response in Canada. We usually get helicopter evacuations for isolated areas. Hope Indian teams have access to similar tech for hilly regions.
My family lives near Rudraprayag - they say local authorities have been visiting villages to warn people. That's good. But why doesn't Uttarakhand have a dedicated disaster helpline like 108? People don't know
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