Uttarakhand: Excavation work triggers landslide on NH-707A in Tehri Garhwal; IMD issues 'red alert' for Haridwar, Pauri Garhwal
Tehri Garhwal, July 9
The Disaster Management Department, Tehri Garhwal, on Thursday informed that a landslide occurred near the shops at Kaddukhal on National Highway 707A. As a result, an old vacant building was damaged.
As a precautionary measure, two restaurants, roadside kiosks, and labourers' temporary shelters that were at risk had already been evacuated before the incident.
The incident is reportedly attributed to excavation work being carried out for the construction of a hotel by a private individual. No loss of human life or livestock has been reported.
Meanwhile, the forecast by the Uttarakhand Meteorological Centre has proven to be accurate. Heavy rain has been lashing the holy city of Haridwar since late last night, leading to waterlogging in several areas.
The most severe waterlogging was observed at Bhagat Singh Chowk, where heavy rainfall caused water to accumulate beneath the railway bridge, causing significant inconvenience to the public. Vehicles got stuck and stalled in the water
Notably, a bus carrying State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited (SIDCUL) employees broke down after getting caught in the deluge. Pedestrians are also facing considerable difficulties.
In view of the heavy rainfall, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a Red Alert for the next three hours, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in Haridwar and Pauri Garhwal districts.
The alert covers areas including Laksar, Manglaur, Khanpur, Gumkhal, Dugadda, Kotdwar, Devrana, and their adjoining regions, where intense rainfall is highly likely during this period.
On the other front, continuous rainfall since last night in Dehradun and its surrounding areas has brought much-needed relief to residents from the scorching heat and humidity.
In light of the weather department's alert, the administration has declared a holiday for schools today.
Citizens in the affected areas are advised to remain alert, avoid taking shelter under trees or weak structures, check traffic conditions before travelling, avoid unnecessary journeys and follow advisories issued by local authorities.
— ANI
Reader Comments
At least the evacuation was done in time, thanks to the authorities 🙏 But this is just a band-aid solution. Uttarakhand is fragile, every year we see landslides and floods because of haphazard construction. The private builder should be held accountable and strict action should be taken. Also, poor Haridwar, the waterlogging at Bhagat Singh Chowk is a yearly affair now, why isn't anything being done about the drainage?
I hope SIDCUL employees are safe. 🙏 But seriously, what is the point of development if it's not sustainable? We are literally digging our own graves in the hills. The red alert is good but we need permanent solutions: better construction norms, proper drainage, and no more encroachments on the hills.
Finally, some relief from the heat in Dehradun! 😌 But I feel bad for Haridwar and Pauri. Monsoon season hai, par itna heavy rainfall is scary. People should follow the advisory and not take any risks. And that broken-down bus stuck in water is such a common sight every year, why don't they have contingency plans?
Good that schools are closed, safety first. But I want to know what action will be taken against the person who started this excavation work? Landslide due to construction is criminal negligence in the hills. We are seeing this in Himachal too. 🤦♂️ Authorities need to make examples of such builders.
Nature has its own way of teaching us lessons. Every year the same story: construction leads
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