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Landslide hits Uttarakhand tunnel on Badrinath National Highway | Watch
Active phase of monsoon has led to extreme rainfall in Uttarakhand. The IMD has issued a “red-alert”, forecasting heavy rainfall till July 11.
Landslides hit the road near the Patal Ganga Langsi tunnel on the Badrinath National Highway in Uttarakhand on Wednesday, leading to road closures. A video of the incident has gone viral.
Uttarakhand has been facing torrential downpours since Sunday due to the active phase of monsoon rains in the state.
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The Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand was halted on Sunday due to a heavy rain alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for the next two days, news agency ANI reported. Garhwal Divisional Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey urged the pilgrims en route to the temples to stop their journey and stay at their nearby locations.
The IMD had issued a “red alert” for the state, forecasting heavy rainfall till July 11. Tehri, Pauri, Bageshwar, Almore, Nanital, and Champawat districts are experiencing heavy rainfall on Wednesday.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said heavy rains have caused severe damage after conducting an ariel inspection of several areas in the Kumaon division. While meeting affected people, Dhami said that officials are continuously assisting in disaster-affected areas.
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Water release from dams in the Himalayan state and widespread rainfall in catchment areas have caused severe flooding in several districts in the Terai region and the plain areas of Uttar Pradesh.
River water is flowing above the danger mark in the Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh due to water release from the Banbasa barrage in Uttarakhand. Many villages in Balrampur, Shravasti, Kushinagar, Pilibhit, Siddharthnagar and Lakhimpur Kheri districts are affected by floods, reported ANI.
Thousands of people are affected across the district and a National Disaster Response Force team is working with the help of 32 boats to take the affected people to safety.
Dhami has instructed the Disaster Management Department to keep a constant vigil on all districts from the State Emergency Response Centre.
(With ANI inputs)
