Eleven killed as heavy rains lead to floods and landslides in Uttarakhand; schools shut amid thunderstorm warmings

Monsoon-led heavy rains are have wreaked havoc in Uttrakhand as eleven people have been reported killed in rain-related incidents in the capital city of Dehradun alone. Of the seven people who died, four were killed when a building collapsed in Dehradun’s Seemadwar while three others were washed away in Dalanwala, Sahaspur and Balliwala, Zee News reported. Another four were killed as a house collapsed in the Shastri nagar area.

Dehradun: Four killed, two injured after a house collapsed following heavy rain in Shastri Nagar earlier today. #Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/NJIeKUntYe

— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2018

A suspension bridge at Pithoragarh’s Nachani was also washed in heavy rains while roads have been damaged in Munsyari and Dharchula areas of the district. Highways in the state have also been blocked by landslides. National Highway-94, which connects Chamba and Rishikesh, has been blocked near Fakot and Bhinnu and road clearing operation was underway in affected areas. The Indian armed forces, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Border Security Force (BSF) have been pressed into rescue services. Meanwhile, there is a heavy rain warning across the state for the next three days and the state has been put on alert. The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) wrote to all district magistrates to be on high alert in view of the Met department’s warning. “Officials should be alert all the time and keep their mobiles phones and wireless systems on,” it said, according to the report. All government schools and anganwadi centres in Dehradun have been ordered to shut following thunderstorm and heavy rain alert, ANI reported. Moreover, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has cancelled the leaves and holidays of all officers and they have been asked to stay at their respective posts to be available for immediate response in case of an emergency.

Heavy rain alert has been issued for the next few days. Holidays of all the officers have been cancelled and they have been asked to stay in their respective areas so that response time can be reduced in case of an emergency: #Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat pic.twitter.com/9VYx1TZ8X6

— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2018

The state had witnessed massive destruction during flash floods and landslides in 2013 which had killed 5,478 people and left thousands displaced. The floods had revealed the extent of illegal construction in the state as unauthorised development had weakened the soil at a number of places, leading to ground collapses and landslides.