State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel conduct the rescue operation at the landslide-affected area, in Champawat on Saturday (September 14, 2024).
| Photo Credit: ANI
Four people died and two others were missing as heavy rains lashed Uttarakhand, especially the Kumaon region, while 478 roads, including national highways, were blocked due to landslides at various places.
A woman, identified as Devki Devi Upadhyaya (75), died when heavy rain caused a part of a residential building to collapse, burying her under the debris near the Buddha temple in Gankot village on Friday (September 13, 2024).
In another incident in Pithoragarh’s Gankot, 22-year-old Vipin Kumar was killed in a landslide.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) , a 45-year-old tourist from Jalandhar, Punjab, died of a lack of oxygen while visiting Jyolingkang village in the higher Himalayan region of Dharchula in Pithoragarh district.
Due to heavy rain in Dhorja village of Lohaghat, a woman died when the roof of a cowshed caved in. The victim was identified as 58-year-old Madhavi Devi.
Another incident took place in Matiani village of Lohaghat where a woman died due to a landslide. The deceased woman has been identified as 60-year-old Shanti Devi. A man named, Jagdish Singh, has gone missing in the incident.
Gurnam Singh, 38, who was cutting fodder in his field in Kondha Ashraf village of Udhamsingh Nagar district, went missing following a sudden rise in the water level of the Kailash river located nearby.
According to the SEOC, incessant rains have led to waterlogging in many places and around 500 people have been evacuated to safer places.
According to the information received from the State Emergency Operations Centre, Haldwani in the Kumaon region received 337 mm rainfall, Nainital 248 mm, Champawat 180 mm, Chorgalia 149 mm and Rudrapur 127 mm during the 24-hour period till 8.30 a.m. Saturday (September 14, 2024).
The heavy rainfall also caused multiple landslides along the Badrinath National Highway on Saturday (September 14, 2024), blocking the road at Lambagad, Nandprayag, Sonala, and Barrage Kunj.
The alternate route between Sakot and Nandprayag has also been blocked due to the landslides.
In a statement, the Chamoli Police said, “Due to the heavy rainfall in the district, landslides are occurring at many places on the Badrinath National Highway, due to which the road is getting blocked repeatedly. Travellers are being stopped at safe places by Chamoli Police for safety.”
Earlier, the police had said on social media that the highway was blocked at Kameda (Gauchar), Nandprayag, and Chhinka, disrupting traffic in the area.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for several southern districts of Uttarakhand and an orange alert for other parts. According to the IMD, a depression over northwest Uttar Pradesh was expected to weaken into a low-pressure area within 12 hours.
This weather system centered near Bareilly, will cause scattered clouds and ‘intense convection’ in southern Uttarakhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh. Northern Uttarakhand, eastern Rajasthan, and northwest Madhya Pradesh will also experience ‘moderate to intense convection’ with rainfall and gusty winds predicted.
The IMD reported that the depression is being tracked by radars in Delhi and Lucknow, and has wind speeds of 20 to 30 knots. The system is expected to weaken as it moves northeast.
Meanwhile, in Nainital district, continuous rain has closed roads, including the Haldwani-Sitarganj road, due to water overflow in the Shernala area. Travellers have been advised to take alternative routes and avoid travel until conditions improve.
In the 24 hours till 8.30 a.m. Saturday (September 14, 2024), Dhari received 105 mm rainfall, Kaladhungi 97 mm. mm, Pithoragarh recorded 93 mm, Jageshwar 89.50 mm, Kichcha 85 mm, Sitlakhet 75.5 mm, Kanalichina 75 mm, Banbasa 71 mm, Salt 66.5 mm, Sitarganj 66 mm and Almora 60 mm.
Published – September 15, 2024 01:17 pm IST
