Heavy Rain Disrupts Life in Uttarakhand; IMD Issues Orange Alert
NEW DELHI: Continuous torrential rainfall disrupted normal life in Khatima on Friday morning, with dense cloud cover prevailing across the region. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the area is expected to witness a generally cloudy sky with intermittent spells of rain or thundershowers. The weather department has also warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next two days.
The IMD has issued an orange alert for Uttarakhand on Friday and red and orange alerts for heavy rainfall in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. It has forecast moderate to heavy rainfall in at least 17 states, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Police and the Fire Service on Thursday carried out a rescue operation after receiving information about the collapse of a house near Vishnu Ghat Railway Station in Haridwar.
All four people trapped under the debris were rescued safely, including a person with a disability who was evacuated on a stretcher.
In Rudraprayag district, continuous rainfall has led to a rise in the water levels of the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers, prompting the district administration to closely monitor the situation.
However, officials said both rivers continue to flow below their warning and danger levels despite periodic fluctuations caused by ongoing monsoon rains.
The administration has advised residents and pilgrims to avoid venturing near rivers and streams and to strictly follow weather advisories issued by the IMD.
According to official data, the Alaknanda River is flowing at 623.153 metres, below its warning level of 626 metres and danger level of 627 metres. In Rudraprayag, the Mandakini River stands at 622.230 metres, against a warning level of 625 metres and a danger level of 626 metres.
At Ganganagar, the Mandakini River’s water level has been recorded at 799.200 metres, below the danger mark of 804 metres. At Gaurikund, the river is flowing at 1,974.820 metres, remaining below the danger level of 1,976 metres.
Among rainfall measurements, Jakholi received the highest rainfall at 46 mm, followed by Ukhimath with 23 mm and the Rudraprayag district headquarters with 20 mm. The district recorded a minimum temperature of 24 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 28 degrees Celsius as monsoon conditions persisted across the region.
