Devastation continues in Uttarakhand, Himachal

The monsoon fury continues in several north India states with heavy rain fall and landslides. The floods played havoc in Uttarakhand where the death toll has reached over 50. More than 60 thousand tourists and pilgrims have been stranded at various locations after the heavy rain and landslides.

The situation is likely to worsen in Uttarakhand and Himachal. The Met department has forecast more heavy rains in the next 24 hours. Between Saturday and Sunday, Dehradun received 220 mm of rains and another 220 mm of rains by evening.

The rescue operations are being carried out in the hill state by the army, para-military Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and disaster management authority. The choppers were rushed to rescue the people. Hundreds of pilgrims on the way to the Char Dham Yatra – Badrinath, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Yamunotri- were trapped after the heavy rain triggered landslides. Many houses have been damaged and all the rivers are flowing above the danger mark.

More than 5000 people were stranded in Uttarkashi, 1000 in Joshimath, 10000 in  Govindghat, over 10000 in Badrinath and 6000 in Ghaghria. Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi were worst-hit areas where Mandakini River has crossed the danger mark. The river Ganga at Haridwar is now flowing above danger level. Several highways that link between Delhi and Haridwar, Rishikesh and Yamunotri, and Gangotri have been blocked for now.

In Himachal, the situation is worst. Five members of a family, including three children, were buried alive early Monday when boulders fell on their house at Chagaon village near Tapri. The heavy rain hit the normal life in Kinnaur district. Five other people died in various landslides in the district since Sunday.