Dehradun, Aug 6
A day after twin cloudbursts struck Uttarkashi district, sweeping away an entire village and triggering widespread panic, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday issued a 'heavy rainfall' warning and a red alert for Uttarakhand.
The IMD forecast stated that heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places across several districts, including Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, Udham Singh Nagar, Dehradun, Nainital, Champawat and Pauri Garhwal.
It further warned that thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and intense to very intense spells of rain are likely at isolated locations in all districts of the state.
In response to the IMD alert, all schools and Anganwadi centres from Class 1 to 12 have been closed for the day in multiple districts, including Dehradun, Nainital, Tehri, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Champawat, Pauri Garhwal, Almora and Bageshwar.
The precautionary holiday comes amid continuous rainfall, which has also led to severe disruption of link roads in several areas, with authorities working round the clock to clear the debris and restore connectivity.
Officials reported that the Badrinath National Highway has been blocked at several points due to ongoing downpours.
Simultaneously, the incessant rain has forced the suspension of the Kedarnath Yatra until further notice, creating a significant impact on the pilgrimage route.