Char Dham Yatra suspended for two days in Uttarakhand amid red, orange rain alerts
The Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand has been suspended from Saturday afternoon until Sunday in view of red and orange rain alerts issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), officials said.
Garhwal Commissioner Anand Swaroop directed all district magistrates to take necessary measures, citing the safety of pilgrims travelling to the Himalayan shrines. The pilgrimage will resume once weather conditions improve, according to the order.
The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall across several parts of Uttarakhand on September 26 and 27, with extremely heavy rain possible at isolated locations. For Saturday, red alerts are in place for Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, Champawat, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar, while Dehradun, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Almora are under orange alerts.
On Sunday, Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri and Haridwar are under red alert, while Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Nainital and Rudraprayag have been placed under orange alert.
The weather department has warned of risks including landslides, rockfalls, flash floods and disruptions on roads in vulnerable areas. It has also forecast thunderstorms and lightning, while snowfall is possible at elevations above 4,000 metres.
Fresh update: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed officials to maintain heightened vigilance in districts under red and orange alerts and keep relief and rescue teams and equipment ready. Authorities have also urged pilgrims and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel during the period of severe weather.
with inputs from PTI
