More than 72 roads were blocked by landslides and boulder falls across Uttarakhand on Wednesday as several parts of the state received light to moderate rainfall, while the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of thunderstorms, lightning and intense spells of rain at isolated places over the next few days.
Pithoragarh, Nainital and Chamoli were the worst-affected districts, with 14, 12 and 10 road closures, respectively. The IMD’s Dehradun centre has issued a yellow alert, forecasting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and intense to very intense spells of rainfall at isolated places in the state’s hilly districts from August 27 to September 1.
Pauri reported seven closures, while Bageshwar, Rudraprayag, Tehri and Uttarkashi recorded six each. Dehradun had four closed roads and Haridwar one, while Almora, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar reported no closures. In Dehradun district, isolated areas experienced thunderstorms, lightning and gusty surface winds during the period. The IMD has warned of intensified monsoon activity over the coming days.
Pithoragarh reported the highest number of road closures at 14, followed by Nainital with 12 and Chamoli with 10, according to district-wise data. The disruptions, mainly in the hill districts, have affected connectivity across the state, taking the total number of closed roads and routes to 72. The state recorded 4.4 mm of rainfall against a normal of 11.6 mm in the 24 hours ending 8.30am on Wednesday, resulting in a 62% deficit, according to the IMD. Chakrata recorded the highest rainfall in the district at 45 mm, followed by Dhanaulti in Tehri Garhwal with 37 mm. Tyuni recorded 16.2 mm, Mussoorie 9.5 mm, Dehradun city 1.7 mm, Rishikesh 1.4 mm and Jolly Grant 0.2 mm. The department said light to moderate rain and thundershowers are likely at many places across Uttarakhand from August 30 to September 1.
Rainfall activity is expected to continue across most hilly districts on August 27, 28 and 29, while plains such as Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar are likely to receive scattered showers. Hilly districts are expected to remain particularly vulnerable to intense showers through August 29. The IMD has also warned of thunderstorms with lightning and intense rain spells at isolated places across the state.
