Uttarakhand Rains: Gangotri, Yamunotri highways blocked by debris

Monsoon rains in Uttarakhand have led to debris blocking the Gangotri and Yamunotri national highways. The Ganga river is flowing above the warning level in Rishikesh, leading to evacuation drives. Badrinath and Kedarnath routes remain open.

As the monsoon spell continues in the northern part of the country, several parts of Uttarakhand experienced light to moderate rainfall on Friday morning.

Highways Blocked, Char Dham Routes Affected

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.

Ganga Crosses Warning Level in Rishikesh

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)

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