Thirteen die in landslides as nature's fury continues in Uttarakhand, red alert declared
DEHRADUN: Landslides occurred for the second consecutive day in the mountainous region of Uttarakhand on Tuesday, killing 13 people. According to the Meteorological Department, the landslides are likely to continue till Thursday.
According to information received by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) of the police department, a big boulder fell on the road near Tunia in Kota-Dimau in Kalsi area of Dehradun district on Tuesday afternoon. According to police reports, at around 12 noon, a vehicle carrying tomatoes was going from village Kota Damoh to Vikasnagar Mandi. During this time, there was a sudden landslide near Tunia and the boulder fell on the vehicle. Two people died on the spot, while four were injured.
Meanwhile, a major accident took place in Uttarkashi district on Monday night, in which stones fell from the hills near Sunar on the vehicles of pilgrims returning to Uttarkashi from Gangotri. Three vehicles were hit by it. Four people were killed in the accident and six were injured. All the passengers who died in this accident are from Indore in Madhya Pradesh, who were on a trip to Uttarakhand.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, an official of the District Disaster Management Authority said, "The accident took place on Monday night on the Gangotri National Highway in Uttarkashi, in which many passengers were rescued late at night, but big boulders continued to fall till late night and the rescue operation was stopped." Six injured have been sent to Bhatwadi CHC. The situation has worsened due to rain in Uttarkashi. A red alert of rain has been issued all over Uttarakhand on Wednesday.
"Keeping in view the situation, the Uttarakhand government has banned the entry of tourists in the mountainous region for the time being," an official of the State Disaster Management Authority said.
Speaking exclusively to The New Indian Express, Vikram Singh, director of the state Meteorological Department, said, "It cannot be denied that the weather patterns that prevailed during the Kedarnath disaster in 2013 have been witnessed this time. Due to western disturbances and incessant rains, such conditions are again forming in the western Himalayan region, due to global warming, this time cloudburst and thunderstorm-like activities have been observed during the monsoon," he added.
According to the information received, the Kali river in Dharchula of Pithoragarh overflowed on Tuesday. The rising water level of the river has started wreaking havoc in the border areas. The house of Hasrat Qureshi and Shahadat Qureshi, residents of Khotila village of Gram Sabha Rathi, was washed away in the strong current of kali. Local villagers quickly took out some essentials from the house.