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Cracks emerge in 52 Pauri village houses amid heavy rainfall
Families in Devrana village of Uttarakhand’s Pauri Garhwal district have fled their homes after more than 50 houses developed cracks after heavy rainfall in the area
Mussoorie/Haldwani: Families in Devrana village of Uttarakhand’s Pauri Garhwal district have fled their homes after more than 50 houses developed cracks after heavy rainfall in the area, officials said on Sunday, adding that a road in nearby Kasaan village is sinking in the Dandamandal area of Yamkeshwar block.
The affected families at Devrana have shifted to safer locations. A team of the local administration inspected the area on Saturday and found that the road in Kasaan village was sinking, while cracks have developed in over 50 houses in Devrana village.
“In Devrana village, over 50 houses have been identified that have developed cracks and people living in these houses have been shifted in nearby safe areas, while some have taken shelter in the houses of their relatives,” said Anil Kumar Chanyal, subdivisional magistrate in-charge of Yamkeshwar.
A committee headed by the state geological department has been formed, which has begun a survey of the area and will submit its report on cracks developing in the houses within a week, he added.
“We camped in the area for two days to identify the affected houses and document the areas on the roads that are developing cracks, while the affected residents have been provided with required rations and a close watch is being kept in the area,” said DP Kala, district disaster management officer of Pauri.
“The cracks are widening with each passing day and we have demanded rehabilitation of the affected families,” said Birendra Singh, a resident of the Devrana village whose house has developed cracks.
In Kasaan, Rupendra Singh’s house has developed cracks. “The mountain slope behind my house is gradually subsiding, resulting in huge cracks in the houses,” he said. “We are living in fear as four people from my family lost their lives in 2007 due to a cloudburst.”
The administration is focussed on saving lives and rehabilitation will be taken up only after a complete survey of the area, Chanyal said.
Meanwhile, the Dehradun centre of India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for Monday for extremely heavy rain of over 204.4 mm at isolated places and heavy to very heavy rainfall in some places, accompanied by thunderstorms with lightning. It has issued a yellow for heavy rainfall in isolated areas of the state for Tuesday, through Thursday.
On Sunday, the Raiwala area in state capital Dehradun reported severe waterlogging due to heavy rains, following which a team of the state disaster response force left for the spot with rafts and other equipment and rescued people trapped in waterlogged houses.
The Himalayan state reported 8.7 mm of rainfall in 24 hours till 8.30 am on Sunday, with a maximum of 25.2 mm of rain in Nainital, followed by 15.7 mm in Tehri Garhwal, 12.8 mm in Pithoragarh and 11.1 mm in Dehradun.
Three rivers were flowing above the warning level in the state at 8am on Sunday. The Ganga river was flowing at 292.7 metres, close to the warning level of 293 metres at Haridwar, according to the Central Water Commission. The water level of the Ganga at Rishikesh was at 339.19 metres, close to the warning level of 339.5 metres.
The Ban Ganga river breached the warning level of 230 metres and was flowing at 230.45 metres at Raisi in Haridwar. The Gauri Ganga river was flowing at 987.48 metres, above the warning level of 987.25 metres, at Bangapani in Munsiyari of Pithragarh district. The water level of Kosi river at Betal Ghat in Nainital district was at 746.03 metres, flowing above the warning level of 746 metres.
Due to incessant rains in Nainital district on Sunday, 17 roads were closed, including the Bhowali - Jeolikote road, on Sunday morning due to a landslide early morning. The road was reopened in the evening. Due to continuous rains, the Gaula river was in spate and led to further land erosion near the Haldwani railway station, posing a risk to the railway tracks. The railway department has begun embankment work and is constructing a retaining wall near the track number 3. In Haldwani, the Rakasiya and Kalasiya nullahs were also in spate.
Over 211 roads have been blocked in the state due to landslides and boulder falls, and concerned authorities are working to reopen the roads using earthmoving machines, the Public Works Department said.
Tehri district magistrate Mayur Dikshit on Sunday evening visited areas on NH 94 at Bagaddhar that have been affected by landslides, resulting in road blockage. He directed officials to remove electricity poles from the landslide areas and shift families living in the area to minimise risk to life and property due to heavy rains.
