Char Dham Yatra Suspended Amid Heavy Rain Alert in Uttarakhand; Pilgrims Stranded in Haridwar

IMD issues orange and red alerts as cloudburst triggers landslides, missing workers, and rising river levels; Yatra halted for 24 hours for safety.

Dehradun/Haridwar | June 29, 2025:
The Char Dham Yatra — one of India’s most sacred pilgrimages — has been suspended for 24 hours following an orange alert for heavy rain issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Authorities halted the Yatra from Sunday, June 29, leaving thousands of pilgrims stranded in Haridwar and Rishikesh, amid worsening weather conditions and reports of a cloudburst and landslides in Uttarkashi.

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According to Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey, all pilgrims in Haridwar and Rishikesh have been instructed to stay put. “No pilgrims will be allowed to move ahead until the weather stabilizes,” he said. Local police and administration have begun relocating pilgrims and residents along risky routes to safer locations.

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Cloudburst Causes Havoc in Uttarkashi

A cloudburst near Silai Band in Barkot Tehsil, Uttarkashi, late Saturday night has triggered landslides and road damage along the Barkot-Yamunotri Marg. Reports confirm 8 to 9 Nepali-origin laborers working at an under-construction hotel have gone missing, with fears they may have been swept away. The Alaknanda River is also reportedly overflowing in parts due to heavy rainfall.

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Uttarkashi DM Prashant Arya informed that a stretch of the Yamunotri highway had been completely washed away. “About 10 meters of the highway has collapsed. Restoration work will take time,” he said.

CM Dhami Monitors Relief Operations

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, reacting to the Uttarkashi disaster, said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), “I am in constant contact with authorities. SDRF, NDRF and local teams are engaged in search and rescue operations.” He offered prayers for the safety of all affected.

Meanwhile, the IMD has issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall (over 20 cm in 24 hours) in isolated regions of Uttarakhand on June 30.

The Char Dham Yatra, which includes visits to Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri, attracts lakhs of pilgrims each year. However, frequent disruptions due to weather and terrain vulnerabilities have once again raised questions about infrastructure and preparedness in the hill state.

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Char Dham Yatra, Uttarakhand rains, heavy rain alert, cloudburst Uttarkashi, Yamunotri landslide, IMD red alert, Haridwar pilgrims, Char Dham 2025 update, Uttarakhand weather, Pushkar Singh Dhami