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5 Dead As Rain Batters Uttarakhand, Pics, Videos Show Flooding, Damage

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5 Dead As Rain Batters Uttarakhand, Pics, Videos Show Flooding, Damage

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5 Dead As Rain Batters Uttarakhand, Pics, Videos Show Flooding, Damage

The weather department has issued a ‘red alert’ for Uttarakhand

New Delhi:

Heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand over the past three days has led to scenes of chaos and disaster across the hilly state, with flooded roads and buildings, destroyed bridges and overflowing rivers leaving locals and tourists stranded – some in remote and dangerous locations.

At least five people, including three labourers from Nepal, have been killed so far, according to news agency PTI. The labourers were staying near Lansdowne in Pauri district when rubble flowing down from a field above buried them alive, District Magistrate Vijay Kumar Jogdande said.

Two others died after their house collapsed in Champawat district, where an under-construction bridge (over the Chalthi river) has been washed away due to a rise in water levels.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today to take stock of the situation, and offer the state government all possible assistance.

Images and videos circulated on social media show frightening scenes.

Uttarakhand’s iconic Nainital Lake has overflowed and visuals from news agency ANI this morning showed water rushing into nearby houses and streets.

The water is knee-deep and flowing at great pace; two men can be seen struggling to cross the street.

Another video from ANI shows people desperately trying to warn a motorcyclist from crossing a bridge, which is beginning to break up, over the Gaula river in Haldwani district. Two-three men can be seen and heard shouting to alert the two-wheeler driver who, thankfully, sees the danger and retreats.

What is scarier is the collapse of the bridge itself, which is filmed in the same video. In 50 seconds the crack in the bridge widens and slowly breaks up the structure, driven by the force of the flooded river.

Images shared by photographer Mustafa Quraishi, an independent photojournalist previously with the Associated Press, according to his Instagram bio, show stranded guests on the roof of the posh Lemon Tree Hotel near the Jim Corbett National Park.

The guests look on forlornly as the entire building is submerged, with floating cars offering a vague indication of where the carpark was.

Another visual shows a tractor being pressed into service to ferry people away from the Lemon Tree.

A third shows the might of the rains – the Ramganga river that flows through the park is now a muddy brown maelstrom that threatens to consume the entire hotel. According to ANI there were 100 people stuck at the Lemon Tree (located between Ramnagar and Ranikhet) and all have been rescued. 

All three of Mr Quraishi’s images were posted an hour ago.

The park itself is experiencing massive flooding, with what were once placid streams now raging torrents of fast-flowing water, washing away almost anything and anyone in its way.

ANI also shared a video showing the hair-raising rescue of a car, with people inside. 

The vehicle had been washed away in a landslide and had become wedged between some rocks, with powerful water currents threatening to overpower and destroy it.

The car was ultimately pulled to safety by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).

Other visuals, posted by NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) chief Satya Pradhan, show villages and towns almost washed away by the strength of the floods.

A video shows a bright orange NDRF rescue boat – anchored to a tow rope to prevent it too from being swept away – rescuing people stranded on top of a brick building.

“Heavy rains in Uttarakhand… Flooding at some places… 10 teams of NDRF deployed… day & night ops on… citizens being evacuated safely,” Mr Pradhan tweeted.

The state’s disaster response teams are also in action and this morning rescued 22 pilgrims stuck while returning from the Kedarnath temple.

As the state battles to regain a measure of control, the operation of vehicles to Himalayan temples has been temporarily suspended. In addition, passenger vehicles cannot cross the bridge over the Chandrabhaga river or ford the Tapovan, Lakshman Jhoola and Muni-ki-Reti Bhadrakali barriers.

The Badrinath National Highway in Chamoli district has been completely blocked due to debris at seven places following incessant rains in the last 48 hours, the district administration said today.

As a precautionary measure, the Badrinath Char Dham Yatra has been halted, and passengers en route to Badrinath Temple were stopped at safe places. 

The Chief Minister has appealed to pilgrims to defer their journey till the weather normalises.

All schools remain closed and there is a ban on trekking, mountaineering, and camping activities in high-altitude areas, including the Nanda Devi biosphere reserve and various forest divisions..

With input from ANI, PTI



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