Toll mounts to 50; landslide kills 7 in Doon; 250 pilgrims stuck in hills
Unabated rainfall that caused floods and landslides has killed at least 50 people in Uttarakhand in the last couple of days. Fresh warnings were issued on Sunday after water level in the Ganga increased above the danger mark in Haridwar. Most of the deaths have occurred due to landslides, cloudbursts, and collapse of houses.
Seven people were killed in Dehradun, most of them due to wall collapse. At least 20 people were killed in cloudbursts in Pauri district, according to sources. While the unabated heavy rain has disrupted road network in the hills, it has raised the water level in the rivers to the danger mark, prompting villagers staying close to the rivers to move to higher ground. According to sources, over 500 houses have been damaged in several parts of the State.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Dehradun on Sunday and had a 90-minute-long meeting with Chief Minister Harish Rawat. Singh assured the Chief Minister of all help from the Centre. Army has been called for help. Border Roads Organisation is making efforts to clear debris and reconnect villages to the main roads.
According to information received from the State Emergency Operation Centre, 17-year-old Bijnor (UP) resident Shalu drowned in the raging Sahastradhara river in Dehradun on Sunday afternoon. At least 90 pilgrims are stuck in Badrinath, 20 in Joshimath, and 121 in Hemkund.
Sources said that at least 28 roads are blocked due to landslide. In Chamoli district, the Rishikesh-Badrinath national highway (NH-58) is blocked at Pakhi. Border Roads Organisation is working to clear debris from the highway. In Uttarkashi district, the Rishikesh-Gangotri national highway (NH-108) has remained blocked at Netala, Sukkitop and Gangnani. The Rishikesh-Yamunotri national highway (NH-94) is blocked at Silai Bend. The Uttarkashi-lambgaon-Srinagar road is blocked near Pipal Gadera.
The Rishikesh-Devprayag road and the Rishikesh-Srinagar road too are blocked.
In Haridwar, the level of water in the Ganga reached 292.75 metre at 4 pm on Sunday, while danger mark is at 294 metre. According to the Tiloth bridge gauge report, the water level in the Bhagirathi on Sunday was 1,119.36 metre (danger level 1,124 metre).
The water level in the Sharada river has risen to 219.80 metre, while the danger level is at 221.70 metre).
Uttarakhand meteorological department Director Anand Sharma said: “The major damages are because more and more people are constructing and living in vulnerable areas. The people should not construct and live in floodplains. The floodplain is for the river and not for people to live there.”
According to Meteorol-ogical Department, the State is likely to get moderate rain at isolated places in Uttarakhand on Monday.