Heavy rains lashed parts of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, triggering incessant landslides, blocking a number of roads and killing two people.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the disaster control room to review the situation.
Meanwhile, the Kedarnath Yatra was stopped at Uttarakhand's Sonprayag due to heavy rain in Rudraprayag district, officials announced on Sunday. Rudraprayag District Magistrate Mayur Dixit said, "Kedarnath has been closed till further orders till the heavy rains continue."
The weather office had forecast intense spells of rain at isolated places in Nainital, Champawat, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Dehradun, Tehri and Pauri districts on Sunday. "I appeal to the devotees that in case the weather turns bad, they should stop their yatra and follow the forecast of the Meteorological department," CM Dhami said.
Incessant rain triggered landslides, blocking a number of roads, while the water level has risen in several rivers, including the Ganga. A 50-year-old man was killed when his vehicle got trapped under the debris following a landslide in Rudraprayag district. The deceased was identified as Anil Bisht. Two other vehicles were also damaged, the official said, according to a PTI report.
In another incident, a youth was killed and three others were injured while transplanting in a field in the Kandyal village of Purola tehsil of Uttarkashi district. The deceased has been identified as Abhishek (20).
Dhami directed the officials to maintain constant communication and coordination with the districts experiencing excess rain so that emergencies can be dealt with on time.
Over the past 24 hours, Haridwar received the maximum rainfall of 78.5 mm, followed by Dehradun with 33.2 mm, Tehri 26.2 mm, Pauri 15.1 mm and Pithoragarh 12.6 mm, the Met department said.
Dhami also asked the officials in the districts to be on the alert and make adequate arrangements for police, State Disaster Response Force and health personnel to meet any challenge. The chief minister advised people living near the rivers and streams to be extra vigilant. He also told the officials to make adequate arrangements at night shelters so that the people who have to leave their homes due to the heavy rain are not inconvenienced.
Landslides in Himachal Pradesh
A flash flood-like situation occured in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district. Over 200 people were stranded near Baggi Bridge on Mandi Prashar Road. Several vehicles were washed away due to the flash flood in a rivulet at Janjheli in Mandi district.
A cloudburst resulting in torrential rainfall and flood affected the roads severely in the region. Landslides have occurred at many places between Charmile to Satmile on Pandoh-Mandi national highway in the state. Mandi-Kullu road via Katola is also shut down due to heavy landslides near Kamand. A flash flood in Khoti Nala near Aut has blocked Mandi-Kullu National Highway.
Earlier on Sunday, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Himachal Pradesh issued a flash flood risk warning for 24 hours.
Weather warnings
The IMD also issued a weather warning for Himachal Pradesh for the next five days and an orange alert has been issued for several districts in Uttarakhand as well.
"Heavy rainfall, thunderstorm & lightning are likely at isolated places over plains, and low and mid hills on June 25 & 26. Flash floods are likely to occur in the districts of Kangra, Mandi, and Solan, Traffic congestion, poor visibility, and disruption in electric supply", said the weather department.
