Uttarakhand: Bridge washed away in Pithoragarh after heavy rainfall and cloudbursts

Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand) [India]: As heavy rainfall and cloudbursts hit Uttarakhand, a vehicle and a bridge got washed away in Nachti drain on the Lipulekh border of border tehsil Dharchula of Pithoragarh district, breaking the connection of Om Parvat Kalapani with Gunji.

Amid the increase in water levels in the drain on Tuesday night, the road from Gujin towards Kalapani has been also destroyed. To avoid adverse consequences, the army had informed Kali Pani Post about the sudden rise of water but till then the dancing drain created havoc.

Sarpanch Lakshmi Gunjyal told that there has been a lot of difficulty in the movement of vehicles and the army. The people of the village are helping.

Dharchula Joint Magistrate Divesh Shashani said that the army’s cooperation is being taken. He told that on receiving the information, relief work has been started. The team of Gunji Patwari and Revenue has been sent.

He added that the army has also been asked to help by being alert.

Incessant rainfall in the hilly and plain areas in Uttarakhand for the past nine days has resulted in an increase in water levels of the rivers and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been told to remain on high alert, authorities said on Wednesday.

As per SDRF officials, nine days of constant rain in Uttarakhand’s hilly and plain regions caused the rivers’ water levels to rise, subsequently, the SDRF personnel have been instructed to maintain a high degree of alertness.

“River Ganga is once again in spate as a result of constant rain that has been falling in the plains and hills of all of Uttarakhand for the past nine days, increasing the risk of flooding in the nearby areas.

With the unexpected increase in the water level of river Ganga, there is a danger of flood in the coastal areas of Mayakund, Chandrabhaga, Chandreshwarnagar etc,” said officials.

SDRF Commandant, Manikant Mishra, instructed various SDRF teams to be on high alert amid these circumstances.

In view of the possible danger posed by the rising water level of the river Ganga, SDRF officers and jawans have been asked to be on constant alert.