Due to persistent rainfall in the high Himalayan regions, both the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers were flowing above the danger mark on Saturday. Officials issued warnings to residents living along the riverbanks and urged them to remain cautious.
Videos shared by the Uttarakhand Department of Information and Public Relations on X showed river water just a few feet away from people’s homes. Strong currents were seen carrying away dirt and loose debris, raising fears of further damage.
Meanwhile, a cloudburst in Chamoli district brought devastation to the region. Heavy rains filled several houses and shops with sludge. The Indian Army’s Infantry battalion quickly responded, sending 50 soldiers from Rudraprayag to help with relief efforts.
Preliminary reports confirmed damage to houses and vehicles. One young girl has gone missing. The district administration had already requested help from the Army in writing before the teams arrived.
District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari reached the site and is personally monitoring the operations. NDRF, SDRF, and police teams are also engaged in rescue and relief work. Officials confirmed that the road near Harmani has been cleared and made operational.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami spoke with public representatives of Chamoli district over the phone to take stock of the situation. In a statement from his office, the CM expressed deep grief over the disaster and urged all representatives to cooperate with the district administration in ongoing rescue and relief efforts. He also called the local MLA and asked him to remain on the ground to personally inspect the situation.
Uttarakhand Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman reviewed the disaster response in the state. He tracked the progress of relief operations in Chamoli’s Tharali block and the efforts to drain a temporary lake that had formed at Syanchatti in Uttarkashi.
Alaknanda and Bhagirathi are the two headstreams of the Ganga. They meet at Devprayag in Garhwal to form the Ganga river. Originating from Gaumukh in the Gangotri glacier at over 13,000 feet in the Himalayas, the Ganga travels across northern India before finally ending in the Bay of Bengal.
Follow us
