The Badrinath Highway has been closed due to a major landslide near Gauchar Taldhari. In the morning, debris and large boulders suddenly fell from the mountain onto the road, narrowly missing people passing by.
Chamoli: A major accident was averted on the Badrinath Highway on Friday morning when a mountain collapsed near Gauchar Taldhari, causing heavy debris and boulders to fall on the road. At the time of the incident, some people were passing through the highway and somehow managed to escape the scene and save their lives. Traffic on this important highway has been completely disrupted due to continuous falling of stones and accumulation of debris from the mountain.
Landslides and road collapses are increasing across the state amid heavy rains. The situation has also worsened on the Karnaprayag-Nainisain motor मार्ग. A large rock broke and fell on the road about 500 meters ahead of the ITI, due to which the villagers of Kapiripatti are being forced to go to Karnaprayag via the Dimmer Simli route.
Red Alert Issued for Rain Today
The local administration immediately deployed JCBs and debris removal machines, but continuous rain is hampering relief efforts. Public Works Department employees said that the road will be attempted to be opened as soon as the weather clears up a bit. Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has issued a red alert in nine districts, including Dehradun. Very heavy rainfall has been warned for Friday and Saturday in Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Pauri, Haridwar, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar.
The department said that there is a possibility of more than 100 mm of rain in these areas, which could lead to an increase in landslides, waterlogging, and road collapses. An orange alert for heavy rain has also been implemented in other districts of the state. Meteorologists have clearly warned people to avoid going near rivers and streams and to travel in hilly areas only when absolutely necessary.
Ganga River Swelling
This phase of rain is also wreaking havoc in the plains. The water level of the Ganga in Haridwar has reached near the warning level of 293 meters. As of 11 am on Friday, the level of the Ganga was recorded at 292.90 meters, which is considered a sign of danger. As a precaution, the district administration has cleared the Ganga ghats and instructed the people living nearby to remain vigilant.
Flood relief posts are fully alert. The administration and the disaster management team are constantly monitoring the rising water of the Ganga. Surveillance has also been increased in the villages along the Ganga on the Uttar Pradesh border. Local people say that they have seen such a continuous and intense phase of rain very rarely in the last several years. Incidents of falling electricity poles, weakening of bridges, and uprooting of trees are coming to light in many places in the mountainous regions, which has completely disrupted life.
