Cloudburst in Uttarkashi, eight missing

Uttarkashi, June 29 (IANS) At least eight people have been reported missing after a cloudburst struck Baligarh along the Barkot-Yamunotri road in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district late on Sunday, causing heavy destruction in the region, authorities confirmed on Monday.

The District Disaster Management Centre stated that rescue teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with local police, have been deployed to the site to conduct relief and rescue operations.

The victims, reportedly labourers, were working at a hotel construction site that suffered severe damage during the cloudburst, which was triggered by intense rainfall in the region.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for the hill state for both Sunday and Monday, warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning at several isolated locations.

In addition to the cloudburst, relentless rainfall across the state has led to significant disruptions.

The National Highway near Nandprayag and Bhaneropani has been blocked, while authorities in Rudraprayag district were forced to halt movement on the Sonprayag–Munkatiya road due to landslides and falling debris earlier this week.

This particular road is vital for pilgrims travelling to Kedarnath. It has been completely closed near the Sonprayag shuttle bridge and the Munkatiya sliding zone, leading to a temporary stoppage of pilgrims at Sonprayag and Gaurikund to ensure their safety.

The Yamunotri National Highway has also been blocked at two to three locations near Silai Band. Officials at NH Barkot have been alerted regarding the obstruction.

In addition, the flow of the Yamuna River has been interrupted due to the accumulation of debris in a drain near Syanachatti, posing a serious threat to the hotels situated in the lower areas of the region.

Heavy rainfall is currently lashing multiple districts of the state, including Chamoli, Pauri, Dehradun, and Rudraprayag, where several link roads have been closed due to landslides.

As water levels in rivers continue to rise, the administration has issued advisories urging residents living along riverbanks to remain alert and take necessary precautions.

--IANS

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