The people of Dehradun have got a relief as on Saturday, Eid was celebrated on the day after the incessant rain that lashed the city over the past 48 hours stopped. As the day progressed, the rain stopped and the clouds dispersed to the joy of the devout Muslims who thronged the masjids to offer the special Eid prayers. Earlier, the continuous downpour has disrupted life across Garhwal region with over 100 connecting routes in the rural areas being closed after debris crashed in on the roads.
The condition of the large cities like Dehradun and Haridwar was no better with many roads going under waist to knee deep water. Besides, the rivers and streams were in spate, leaving those residing on their banks scared.
While the water level of Tehri lake has reached 817 metres that of Ganga neared the warning mark in Haridwar. Yamuna was also in a State of spate, worrying the officials and those residing near it alike. With things looking alarming, the administration has issued an alert for the river bank areas. Given the weather patterns, the state Government has also asked all the district magistrates to stay alert. It is learnt that three meter stretch of the nation highway has been washed away in lambbad near Badrinath shrine. The administration has stopped over 250 pilgrims along with Govindghat and Pandukeshwar at various places. Traffic on the Kedarnath highway was also blocked as rain triggered landslides near Sonprayag. There are reports of snowfall on some peaks in Pithoragarh in Kumaon region.
It is learnt that the rural areas of Dehradun bore the maximum brunt of the incessant showers. Considerable loss has been reported from some areas. While a house and four cow sheds have been damaged at Purtad village under Jansar-Bawar tribal area of the district the sacred villagers spent the night while being awake, fearing rain water to gush in their houses. SDM Chakrata Brajesh Kumar Tiwari has directed the revenue team to go to the spots affected by the rain.
Haridwar was also at the receiving end of the rain as the vehicular movement on the highways was disrupted in many places.
Besides, half a dozen peaks, including Panchachuli Rajarambha, Nandakot and Nandagunghat in Pithoragarh district, received the season’s maiden snowfall in the aftermath of the heavy rain. It rained heavily too in many areas across Nainital, Pithoragarh, Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar districts.