Heavy rainfall continued to lash parts of Uttarakhand on Thursday, causing landslides in different parts of Uttarakhand, blocking traffic at pilgrimage places and causing officials in Uttarakhand to issue weather alerts in several districts including Dehradun. The new monsoon rain has exposed once again the vulnerability of the Himalayan state to natural disasters, since thousands of pilgrims travel to and from India's traditional pilgrimage destinations every day, as we are heading to and from India’s traditional pilgrimage destinations every day, the daily pilgrimage season continues to take place on a big scale in the Himalayan state.
The IMD says moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to continue in some districts over the next few days and landslides, flash floods and rockfalls are likely on the hilly terrain. Residents, tourists and pilgrims should keep track of the latest weather updates and be careful on the state’s mountainous roads, the weather department has warned.
The Kedarnath Yatra was disrupted in Rudraprayag district when a landslide put debris, rocks and mud on the pilgrimage path and the movement of pilgrims had to be temporarily controlled. Personnel from the SDRF and local administration were immediately assigned to clear the obstacles and restore safe passage for the pilgrims. The obstructions were removed and the area was monitored for any further landslide activity before normal traffic could resume.
The pilgrimage route of Kedarnath is one of the busiest and most difficult of the Char Dham Yatra and lakhs of devotees go to it every year. But the path is prone to landslides during the monsoon season due to the steep mountain slopes, constant rainfall and loose soil conditions. Pilgrims must be advised not to travel during heavy rains and to follow the advice from the government.
Heavy rain also interrupted traffic on the Badrinath National Highway in Chamoli district, stopping traffic as stones and debris fell onto the road from unstable hillsides and people were stranded due to heavy rain as road-clearing teams were deployed. Heavy equipment and personnel worked to clear the fallen rocks and restore access while the mountain slopes were monitored for more landslides.
However, the continuous rainfall has disrupted normal life in the rest of Uttarakhand and local authorities are closely watching over rivers, vulnerable settlements and landslide-prone areas of the district. Emergency response teams in districts that are very sensitive to rainfall have been put on standby, as they are also highly susceptible in the monsoon season, and district administrations should be prepared to respond quickly to any weather-related events.
As monsoon-related disasters become more imminent, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami yesterday held a state-level pre-monsoon mock drill in Dehradun to review the state's preparedness for emergency situations. The Chief Minister instructed officials to enhance disaster management mechanisms by ensuring more efficient response systems, better coordination between departments, and greater use of modern technology in rescue and relief operations.
Dhami stressed that disaster management is not only about administrative work but one of the state’s top priorities. He recommended disaster management to be given priority during the monsoon season and that rescue equipment, emergency personnel, and communication systems should be ready for immediate deployment.
The IMD has advised that rain activity is likely to be heavy in some of the regions of Uttarakhand over the next few days and fresh landslides, flash floods and road blockages could be possible in hilly areas. Residents and pilgrims visiting Kedarnath, Badrinath and other Char Dham shrines should check weather conditions and road status before going for their trip. Local officials also advised travelers to cooperate with local government and avoid visiting vulnerable areas during periods of heavy rainfall as the state is working to combat the effects of the monsoon.
