Over 72 roads blocked by boulder falls as Uttarakhand braces for heavy rain

More than 72 roads were blocked by landslides and boulder falls across Uttarakhand on Wednesday as several parts of the state received light to moderate rainfall, while the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of thunderstorms, lightning and intense spells of rain at isolated places over the next few days.Pithoragarh, Nainital and Chamoli were the worst-affected districts, with 14, 12 and 10 road closures, respectively.Pithoragarh, Nainital and Chamoli were the worst-affected districts, with 14, 12 and 10 road closures, respectively. The IMD’s Dehradun centre has issued a yellow alert, forecasting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and intense to very intense spells of rainfall at isolated places in the state’s hilly districts from August 27 to September 1.According to district-wise data, Pithoragarh reported the highest number of road closures at 14, followed by Nainital with 12 and Chamoli with 10. Pauri reported seven closures, while Bageshwar, Rudraprayag, Tehri and Uttarkashi recorded six each. Dehradun had four closed roads and Haridwar one, while Almora, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar reported no closures. The disruptions, mainly in the hill districts, have affected connectivity across the state, taking the total number of closed roads and routes to 72.Also Read: Over 50 Tamil Nadu pilgrims stranded after flash floods at Nepal-China borderIn Uttarkashi, pilgrim movement on the Janki Chatti-Yamunotri pilgrimage route continued under the watch of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel following the collapse of a retaining wall near Bhangeligad on August 23.Teams from the Public Works Department (PWD) were working to reconstruct the damaged stretch on Wednesday. Shardul Gusain, district disaster management officer, Uttarkashi, said repairs were expected to take seven to eight days.“The PWD department is working to reconstruct the damaged stretch near Bhangeligad, which will take over seven to eight days to repair, and SDRF teams have been deployed to assist the pilgrims on their way to Yamunotri Dham,” he said.Also Read: Bihar steps up preparedness as flash flood in Nepal kills several, destroys villagesMeanwhile, three villages in Mori tehsil remained without electricity after the Yamunotri feeder was disrupted. Officials said work was underway to restore the power supply.The state recorded 4.4 mm of rainfall against a normal of 11.6 mm in the 24 hours ending 8.30am on Wednesday, resulting in a 62% deficit, according to the IMD.In Dehradun district, isolated areas experienced thunderstorms, lightning and gusty surface winds during the period. Chakrata recorded the highest rainfall in the district at 45 mm, followed by Dhanaulti in Tehri Garhwal with 37 mm. Tyuni recorded 16.2 mm, Mussoorie 9.5 mm, Dehradun city 1.7 mm, Rishikesh 1.4 mm and Jolly Grant 0.2 mm.Uttarkashi received 1.4 mm against a normal of 7 mm, an 80% shortfall, while Haridwar recorded 3.7 mm against 9.4 mm, a 61% deficit. Pauri Garhwal received 7.9 mm against a normal of 17.2 mm, reflecting a 54% shortfall.In Kumaon, Nainital recorded only 2.6 mm against a normal of 17.2 mm, an 85% deficit. Udham Singh Nagar received 3.2 mm against a normal of 16.8 mm, an 81% shortfall.Also Read: Metal bridge ripped apart by swollen river after flash flood in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli | WatchChampawat recorded 6.3 mm against a normal of 13.2 mm, a 52% deficit, while Almora received 4.6 mm against 9.4 mm, a 51% shortfall. Pithoragarh recorded 7.5 mm against a normal of 13.8 mm, a 46% deficit.Several areas, however, received comparatively heavier showers. In Pauri Garhwal, Pauri recorded 27.3 mm, Thalisain 19 mm and Yamkeshwar 9 mm. In Pithoragarh, Dharchula received 18.8 mm, followed by Munsiyari at 11.2 mm and Pithoragarh town at 11.1 mm.Kapkot in Bageshwar recorded 17 mm, while Bageshwar town and Garud received 9 mm and 7 mm, respectively. In Almora district, Ranikhet recorded 16.1 mm, Chaukhutia 3 mm, Dwarahat 2.5 mm and Almora town 1.3 mm.Also Read: Monsoon mayhem: Heavy rain brings landslides in Uttarakhand, flash floods in J&KThe IMD has warned of intensified monsoon activity over the coming days. The department said light to moderate rain and thundershowers are likely at many places across Uttarakhand from August 30 to September 1.Rainfall activity is expected to continue across most hilly districts on August 27, 28 and 29, while plains such as Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar are likely to receive scattered showers. The IMD has also warned of thunderstorms with lightning and intense rain spells at isolated places across the state. Hilly districts are expected to remain particularly vulnerable to intense showers through August 29.