Uttarakhand: Badrinath National Highway blocked due to lanslide

Badrinath National Highway in Pipalkoti area in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district has been closed because of debris that was triggered by a landslide, following heavy rainfall. Many vehicles have also been buried under the debris.

Chamoli District Magistrate, Himanshu Khurana said, “Due to heavy debris falling from the mountain in Pipalkoti, many vehicles were buried under the debris and the roads have been closed.”

According to the district magistrate, at present there are several vehicles buried under the debris and a piece of information about one person being buried under the debris in Pipalkoti has also been received.

Yesterday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert and predicted heavy rainfall with lightning in six districts of Uttarakhand for the next twenty-four hours. It also forecasted very heavy to extremely heavy rain/ thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and very intense to extremely intense spell is likely to occur at isolated places in Tehri, Dehradun, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar.

As to official estimates, 52 people had died due to rain-related incidents in this monsoon session while another 37 people sustained injuries. Heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand have also triggered landslides and flash floods in many places.

On the orders of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, SDRF and NDRF personnel were posted in places badly affected by rain-related incidents.