DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand is grappling in the aftermath of a devastating cloudburst that struck the Baligarh area on the Barkot-Yamunotri road last night, sweeping away at least 20 labourers.
While rescue teams managed to pull 11 labourers to safety from an under-construction hotel site, the State Disaster Response Force recovered one body from the debris. Police have recovered two bodies at a distance of 18 kilometres. Six people remain untraced.
The natural calamity has severely impacted critical infrastructure, with a crucial 10-meter stretch of the Yamunotri Highway completely washed away, effectively cutting off connectivity to the revered pilgrimage site.
In response to a severe rain alert, the state government has taken the unprecedented step of suspending the Char Dham Yatra for the next 24 hours.
Garhwal Division Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey confirmed the decision, stating, "The Char Dham Yatra has been suspended for the next 24 hours following a heavy rain alert. As a precautionary measure, I have given instructions to the police and administration officials to stop the pilgrims in Haridwar, Rishikesh, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Sonprayag, and Vikasnagar."
The mountainous districts of Uttarakhand have been experiencing relentless, heavy rainfall since Saturday night, leading to an alarming rise in the water levels of major rivers.
In Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts, the Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers, which flow through the Badrinath and Kedarnath regions, are now flowing above the danger mark, posing a serious threat to riverside communities.
Arpan Yaduvanshi, Commandant of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), stated, "Police in both districts are appealing to people living on river banks to move to safer locations. SDRF units are continuously monitoring potential high-risk areas and have urged pilgrims and others to refrain from approaching the riverbanks."
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has taken immediate cognisance of the incident, expressing concern via a tweet about the missing labourers.
Vinod Kumar Suman, Secretary of Disaster Management, shed light on the arduous rescue efforts. "Police and army personnel from nearby areas have initiated rescue operations, and SDRF and NDRF teams have been deployed. Currently, 15 personnel are actively engaged, with approximately 45 more en route.
Due to the challenging terrain, heavy machinery cannot reach the site, and teams are conducting rescues manually. The labourers are either trapped in debris, stuck on rocks, or have been swept away into the river. Efforts to locate them are ongoing," he informed.
The relentless monsoon, active since late Saturday and continuing through Sunday morning, has also impacted the state capital, Dehradun, where a two-storey house collapsed in the Kargi area. Fortunately, the family had been preemptively evacuated, averting a major tragedy.