The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an Orange Alert for Uttarakhand after fresh spells of heavy rainfall battered multiple districts on Saturday. According to our correspondent, districts including Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, and Bageshwar have witnessed severe weather events in the last 24 hours, with reports of cloudbursts, house collapses, and landslides disrupting normal life.
In Chamoli, two houses collapsed following torrential downpours, while in Rudraprayag, debris from hillside slides inundated nearly 40 homes in Basukedar and Jakholi. Bageshwar district also recorded considerable destruction after heavy rains triggered flash floods in local streams. Many villages in the hills have been cut off due to damaged approach roads.
Rising Alaknanda River Threatens Dhari Devi Temple
Meanwhile, the Alaknanda River is flowing above danger levels and has reached dangerously close to the revered Dhari Devi temple near Srinagar. The site is of immense religious significance, and rising waters have rekindled memories of the catastrophic 2013 Kedarnath floods.
Local authorities have sounded alerts in the surrounding areas, warning people not to venture near the riverbanks. Our correspondent adds that water levels rose rapidly following intense overnight rain, posing immediate risk to low-lying settlements. SDRF and police teams have been deployed to prevent crowds from gathering near the swollen river.
Relief and Rescue Operations
State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and district-level rescue teams are on high alert. Shelters have been set up in Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, and Bageshwar to house families displaced by flash floods and landslides. Local administrations are distributing food packets, drinking water, and medical aid to affected households.
In Rudraprayag and Bageshwar, rescue operations are underway to evacuate families from homes that are at risk of collapse. The administration has urged residents to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel, especially near mountainous slopes and overflowing streams.
Infrastructure and Connectivity Hit
Continuous rainfall has disrupted power supply and water pipelines in several districts. Roads connecting Srinagar, Devprayag, and parts of Chamoli remain blocked, while the Badrinath National Highway faced multiple closures due to landslides. Teams from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and Public Works Department are working round the clock to restore connectivity.
Air services remain on standby for emergency evacuations, with helicopters deployed in case worsening weather cuts off remote villages.
Government’s Response
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed all district magistrates to be on maximum alert. He emphasized that affected families should receive compensation without delay and that all relief resources be deployed promptly. The Chief Minister also instructed officials to ensure round-the-clock monitoring of water levels in major rivers including the Ganga, Alaknanda, and Mandakini.
Disaster Management officials said that the next 48 hours are critical as the monsoon remains active. The state government has appealed to citizens to download the Sachet App for real-time weather updates and to follow safety advisories strictly.
