Authorities in Uttarakhand have issued a warning of avalanche for several high-altitude areas of the hill state, including Badrinath and Kedarnath, after fresh snowfall across the region.
This is the second spell of snowfall in the state within a week. Earlier, heavy snowfall on January 23 had covered many high altitude areas with a thick snow layer. Considering the fresh snowfall and risk of avalanches, the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority has issued an alert to all districts.
According to a forecast by the Chandigarh-based Defence Geo-Informatics Research Establishment (DGRE), snowfall and avalanches are expected in several high-altitude areas from 5 pm on January 27 to 5 pm on January 28.
Sporadic snowfall has been witnessed since Monday night in Badrinath in Chamoli district, Kedarnath and nearby peaks in Rudraprayag district, and the upper areas of Uttarkashi district.
Chakrata also witnessed snowfall in the evening, drawing a large number of tourists. The ski resort of Auli received fresh snowfall, while peaks around Munsiyari in Pithoragarh district in the Kumaon region also saw snowfall.
At the same time, light to moderate rainfall was recorded in the lower areas of the state. Dehradun had a sunny start on Tuesday morning, but weather conditions changed in the afternoon with intermittent rain. Following an orange alert by the Meteorological Department, schools were closed in the capital city.
According the DGRE warning, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, and Rudraprayag districts have been placed in the ‘orange’ category. This indicates deep and unstable snow on most avalanche paths, with a high chance of natural avalanches that could reach valley floors.
In such conditions, only limited movement on selected and relatively safe routes is advised. Any activity on snow-covered slopes is considered highly risky.
Pithoragarh district has been placed in the ‘yellow’ category, where unstable snow is present on some avalanche paths. Small natural avalanches may occur in limited areas, and movement in valleys is possible with caution, but snow-covered slopes should be avoided.
As a precaution, schools up to Class 12 have been closed in Tehri, Uttarkashi, Almora, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar districts.
Also Read: 40 soldiers among 60 stranded in Doda snowbound stretch by BRO
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