Uttarakhand rains: Gangotri and Yamunotri highways blocked by debris, Ganga crosses warning mark in Rishikesh
Pithoragarh, August 7
As the monsoon spell continues in the northern part of the country, several parts of Uttarakhand experienced light to moderate rainfall on Friday morning.
According to the state government's preliminary update, based on information received over the telephone at 5:30 AM, light rainfall was reported in Tejam tehsil of Pithoragarh district, while cloudy conditions prevailed across all other districts of Uttarakhand.
In Uttarkashi district, the NH-34 Gangotri National Highway was blocked near Helgugad, Nalupani, and Gangnani due to debris. Road clearance operations were underway.
Similarly, the NH-134 Yamunotri National Highway remained blocked near Durbil and Syanachatti following debris accumulation, and restoration work was in progress.
The Badrinath and Kedarnath National Highways, which form part of the Char Dham Yatra route, were open, with traffic movement remaining normal.
The state government further reported that no disaster-related incidents had been reported from any district as of the latest update.
On Thursday, the impact of continuous heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand's hill districts was visible in Rishikesh, with the Ganga flowing above the warning level at Triveni Ghat. This prompted authorities to intensify evacuation and awareness drives along the riverbanks.
According to officials of the Central Water Commission in Rishikesh, the Ganga was in spate, and its water level had crossed the warning mark. With the river witnessing a strong and swift current, teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Water Police, and Disaster Response Force launched joint evacuation and awareness campaigns at Triveni Ghat, Muni Ki Reti, and Laxman Jhula.
Using loudhailers, the teams appealed to devotees, residents, and tourists to immediately vacate the ghats and move to safer locations. They also warned people against entering the river, explaining that continuous rainfall in the upper reaches had caused a rapid rise in the Ganga's water level, making the flow extremely dangerous.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The authorities need to be proactive. Tourists often don't realise how dangerous the Ganga can be when it's in spate. Glad to see SDRF and water police are doing awareness drives, but they should also set up better warning systems near ghats.
I was in Rishikesh last month and the river was already flowing fast. Can't imagine how powerful it must be now. Stay safe everyone!
The Char Dham Yatra is so important for our culture. But every year we see roads blocked and people stranded. Why can't we build better roads that can withstand landslides? It's time to invest in more robust infrastructure. Also, I hope the pilgrimage can continue safely.
This is the reality of living in the Himalayas. We can't fully control nature, but we must respect it. The team at Rishikesh is doing a great job warning people. Let's all be responsible and not take risks during monsoon. 🌧️
It's good that no disaster has been reported so far. The timely closure of roads might save lives. My family was in Uttarakhand last week and we barely made it back before this spell. Please take weather warnings seriously when planning trips.
S Suresh O < We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.