Heavy rainfall and falling debris have severely disrupted traffic on key Char Dham pilgrimage routes in Uttarakhand, prompting authorities to issue alerts and temporarily suspend vehicle and pedestrian movement for safety. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for five districts, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places.
Orange and Yellow Alerts Issued Across Uttarakhand
The meteorological centre issued an orange alert for Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, and Bageshwar districts, cautioning of heavy to very heavy rainfall. A yellow alert for heavy rainfall at isolated places has been issued for Haridwar, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli districts, according to officials.
The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) has directed district magistrates to exercise vigilance and ensure precautionary measures in view of the heavy rain alert.
Rainfall Data and Temperature Drop
According to the Dehradun Meteorological Center, during the past 24 hours, Narendranagar received 110 mm of rain, Dhanaulti 100 mm, Khatima 85.5 mm, Jolly Grant 80.4 mm, Dehradun 79.6 mm, Mussoorie 77.8 mm, Laksar 73.5 mm, Banbasa 72 mm, Pantnagar 70.6 mm, Barkot 65 mm, Rudraprayag 64.5 mm, Jakholi 63 mm, and Yamkeshwar 60 mm. Moderate rainfall was recorded at several other places.
Due to the rain, temperatures have dropped across the state. The maximum temperature in Dehradun on Thursday stood at 20.4 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal, compared to 25.8 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, which was six degrees below normal.
Impact on Char Dham Routes
Officials said that falling stones from a hill in the Munkatiya area of Rudraprayag district blocked the Kedarnath Yatra route. In view of the safety of pilgrims, the administration has temporarily suspended the movement of vehicles and pedestrians on the Sonprayag-Munkatiya road. Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar said the work of removing debris and large boulders with the help of JCBs (excavators) is continuing on a war footing. He said traffic will be restored only after the route is completely safe and debris is cleared, and appealed to pilgrims to follow the administration's instructions and wait for official notification on the opening of the stretch.
In Chamoli district, debris from a hill near Gulabkoti village between Chamoli and Joshimath blocked the Badrinath National Highway amid heavy rainfall since morning. Officials said the road blockage triggered long queues of vehicles travelling to and from Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib. Efforts are being made to restore traffic movement as soon as possible by removing debris with the help of heavy machines from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
Understanding the Weather Alert System
According to the India Meteorological Department's colour-coded weather warning system, a yellow alert indicates worsening weather and advises citizens to stay updated on the developing condition. It upgrades to an orange alert when severe weather is imminent, and cautions citizens of significant disruptions to transport and power. The highest level, a red alert, demands immediate action as extremely severe weather conditions pose a direct threat to life and property, and may require evacuation.
Monsoon arrived in Uttarakhand on June 30 and became active across the state by Wednesday, with intermittent rains lashing many areas, including Dehradun.
