Dehradun, Jul 19 (PTI) Two people died after being struck by lightning in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar district as relentless rainfall affected most parts of the state, with the administration on alert following red and orange warnings issued for 10 districts for Sunday.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), landslides triggered by incessant rains have blocked 84 roads, including two national highways, at various locations across the state.
The SEOC said Naveen Singh (33), a resident of Daluwala Majbata, and Randhir Singh (45), a resident of Khalatira, died after being struck by lightning in Haridwar on Saturday evening.
The Meteorological Department has issued warnings of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in several parts of the
state from Sunday for the next few days.
An orange alert has been issued for Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Haridwar and Bageshwar districts, while a yellow alert is in place for Chamoli, Almora and Pithoragarh districts.
A red alert has been issued for Dehradun, Haridwar and Tehri districts for July 20, while an orange alert has been declared for Nainital, Uttarkashi and Pauri districts.
For July 21, an orange alert has been issued for Dehradun and Bageshwar districts, and a yellow alert for Tehri, Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi, Nainital, Chamoli and Pithoragarh districts.
A yellow alert has also been issued for Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh districts for July 22, with forecasts indicating thunderstorms, lightning and heavy rain in most areas.
In view of the weather warning, the SEOC has instructed all district magistrates to remain alert and take necessary precautionary measures.
State Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said district magistrates have been directed to keep a close watch on vulnerable areas, maintain round-the-clock readiness at district emergency operation centres, keep relief and rescue teams on standby and ensure availability of machinery and resources on landslide-prone routes.
He appealed to pilgrims visiting for the Char Dham Yatra, tourists and the general public to avoid unnecessary travel, check weather and road conditions before setting out, and stay away from rivers, streams, ravines and waterlogged areas during heavy rainfall.
The department stated that heavy rainfall was recorded in several parts of the state in the last 24 hours.
According to the SEOC, traffic has been disrupted due to landslides on the Tawaghat-Gunji National Highway near Garbadhar in Pithoragarh district and the Rishikesh-Yamunotri National Highway near Paligad, Syanachatti and Ojari in Uttarkashi district. Efforts to clear the blocked roads are underway. PTI DPT SMV RHL SMV MPL MPL
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