Shruti Suman
Amid heavy rains in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, a three-storey hotel collapsed like a house of cards. The hotel, which had around 30-35 rooms, came crashing down due to the intense rainfall in the area. Thankfully, all the occupants were safely evacuated, and the incident was captured on video by local residents using their mobile phones. Meanwhile, the weather department issued warnings of heavy rainfall in various districts, including Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, and Champawat. Further rain was expected in Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
Kedarnath Highway Closed
The Kedarnath highway was closed due to continuous heavy rains, leading to stranded travelers and pilgrims at multiple locations.
This situation comes as the state has been experiencing heavy rainfall for several days, resulting in landslides and loss of life in rain-related incidents.
Portion of Tapkeshwar Temple Collapses
In Dehradun district, a portion of the Shri Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple near River Tamsa collapsed due to heavy rains since Monday night.
Acharya Bipin Joshi, the founder of the temple, reported, “Amid heavy downpours since the previous night, a part of the Tapkeshwar Mahadev temple near River Tamsa collapsed and caused a lot of damage to the temple property.” He mentioned that as the Tamsa River swelled due to the rains, the temple premises were completely evacuated, and the deities were secured.
Tapkeshwar Temple is a popular Hindu temple in Dehradun dedicated to Lord Shiva, attracting both tourists and pilgrims.
IMD Issues Yellow Alert
The India Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert on Tuesday, predicting heavy rainfall in eight districts of Uttarakhand, including Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, and Champawat. Additional districts like Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar were also expected to receive rainfall, as per IMD.
Earlier, the IMD had issued a yellow alert for several other districts in the state, including Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Dehradun, Pauri Garhwal, and Pithoragarh.
Landslide Tragedy in Gaurikund
Uttarakhand police reported that three people have died, and a search operation is underway for the missing individuals after a landslide in Gaurikund.
Uttarakhand Director General of Police, Ashok Kumar, stated that 3 people have died, and 20 people are still missing due to the massive landslide that occurred on the Kedarnath Yatra route in Gaurikund. He added that 17 of the missing people are of Nepali origin and that the police and SDRF are actively conducting the search operation.
NI Bureau
