Char Dham Yatra suspended for second day amid heavy rain in Uttarakhand

The Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand remained suspended for the second consecutive day on Sunday due to incessant heavy rain, while two people, including a child, died in separate rain-related incidents, officials said.

Around 136 mountaineers, including several foreign nationals, were stranded at various locations in the state's mountainous regions due to heavy snowfall, officials said.

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Efforts were underway to airlift the stranded mountaineers to safety using helicopters, they said.

Rafting activities in the river near Rishikesh were also suspended after the water level of the Ganga rose rapidly due to heavy rain. The river's water level was being constantly monitored, officials said.

According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), a child died and another person was injured after being hit by a landslide in the Chirbasa area along the Kedarnath trek route.

In another incident, a man identified as Balveer Singh died after being buried under debris when a house collapsed due to rain in the Thalisain area of Pauri district, the SEOC said.

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Two mud houses also collapsed in Nainital district, but no casualties were reported, police said.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) said a landslide near Munna Band in Pithoragarh district blocked the road, following which around 500 travellers were helped to cross the affected stretch using ropes.

The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert on Sunday for Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Champawat, Nainital and Pauri districts, warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall. An orange alert was issued for the remaining eight districts, including Dehradun.

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Heavy rain has been lashing most parts of the state since Saturday, while high-altitude areas have received snowfall, resulting in a drop in temperatures.

In Dehradun, the maximum temperature on Sunday was recorded at 21.1 degrees Celsius, around nine degrees below normal, while the minimum temperature was 18.2 degrees Celsius.

According to an order issued by Garhwal Commissioner Anand Swaroop, the Char Dham Yatra remained suspended on Sunday due to the inclement weather. The pilgrimage had also been suspended on Saturday.

In view of the heavy rain warning, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed officials to remain on high alert around the clock.

Urging residents and tourists to exercise caution, Dhami advised them to avoid unnecessary travel and undertake journeys only when essential after checking weather and road conditions.

He also appealed to people to strictly follow advisories issued by the local administration.