Uttarakhand: Red Alert, Stay Informed on Weather
In the wake of a red alert issued due to heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand, authorities have called for heightened caution among district magistrates in their respective areas. The incessant downpour since the night of August 21 has caused river levels to surge across various districts in Uttarakhand.
Shweta Choubey, the Senior Superintendent of Police in Pauri, has urged travelers to gather information about prevailing weather conditions and route accessibility before embarking on their journeys. She emphasized that the district’s river drains were experiencing a surge in water levels due to the ongoing heavy rains.
The Uttarakhand State Emergency Operation Centre has directed district magistrates in Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, and Udham Singh Nagar to implement precautionary measures. The advisory comes in light of the anticipated heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated locations.
“Uttarakhand: Red Alert, Stay Informed on Weather”
To ensure the safety of tourists, an order has been issued to resort owners, mandating the cancellation of bookings until further notice, as confirmed by Vinod Gusain, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Lakhshman Jhula. Gusain stressed that the primary focus of the administration is to safeguard lives, and this order underscores that commitment. Any violation of this order will be met with strict legal consequences, added the SHO.
The Uttarakhand State Emergency Operation Centre functions as a component of the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority. Earlier predictions by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had warned of heavy rainfall across several districts of Uttarakhand, including Dehradun.
The persistent heavy rains in the region have triggered landslides and flash floods in multiple areas. Bikram Singh, the Director of the India Meteorological Department in Dehradun, issued a two-day red alert for Uttarakhand on August 22. Singh indicated that the state should brace for highly intense rainfall over the next two to three days.
While an orange alert has been activated for Dehradun, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat, and Bageshwar districts, a yellow alert is in effect for Haridwar, Tehri, Chamoli, Udham Singh Nagar, and Pithoragarh districts.
As per official estimates, the rain-related incidents have already led to a loss of 52 lives, with 37 individuals sustaining injuries in the state.
