IMD issues orange alert as heavy rain batters Uttarakhand, disrupts pilgrimage routes
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Uttarakhand’s Nainital and Bageshwar districts, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall on Friday as the southwest monsoon remains active across the state.
The warning comes after rain-triggered landslides briefly disrupted traffic on the Badrinath National Highway and the Kedarnath pilgrimage route, prompting swift restoration efforts by authorities.
The monsoon entered Uttarakhand on June 30 and has since intensified, covering the entire state by Wednesday. The Dehradun Meteorological Centre said light to moderate rainfall was recorded in several districts on Thursday.
Khanpur received the highest rainfall at 41.5 mm, followed by Laksar (33 mm), Roorkee (21 mm), Thalisain (19 mm), Ranikhet (18 mm), Champawat (15 mm) and Mussoorie (12.3 mm).
Daytime temperatures remained close to normal in the plains, while hill districts witnessed cooler conditions. Dehradun recorded a maximum temperature of 30.4 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal, while Mukteshwar and New Tehri registered 24.5 degrees Celsius and 20.1 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Yellow alert for six more districts
Apart from the orange alert in Nainital and Bageshwar, the IMD has issued a yellow alert for parts of Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag and Chamoli, warning of heavy rainfall in isolated areas.
Following the forecast, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) has asked district administrations to remain vigilant, activate disaster response mechanisms and ensure all precautionary measures are in place.
Road connectivity restored after landslides
In Rudraprayag district, the Kedarnath pilgrimage route was temporarily closed after rocks and debris fell near the Munkatia area, suspending the movement of pilgrims and vehicles. District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar said the route was reopened after heavy machinery was deployed to remove the debris and large boulders.
Meanwhile, continuous rainfall triggered another landslide near Gulabkoti village in Chamoli district, blocking the Badrinath National Highway between Chamoli and Joshimath. The closure caused long queues of vehicles, including those carrying pilgrims bound for Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib.
Officials said teams from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) cleared the debris within hours, allowing traffic to resume on the highway.
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