Uttarakhand News: Heavy Rainfall Kills 16 People, Destroys Houses and Roads

Weather Update: So far, 16 people have been killed in Uttarakhand due to continuous rainfall in the state. As per reports, heavy downpour along with cloudbursts has destroyed many homes, damaged road, highways, and trapped many people under the debris. On Tuesday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami claimed 11 people have died in the state, but he urged people not to worry and promised them that all required efforts would be taken to remove those who were trapped.

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Three Indian Army helicopters are expected to arrive shortly, according to Dhami, to help with relief and rescue efforts in the state. He said two of the helicopters will be dispatched to Nainital and one to the Garhwal region to rescue persons stuck in various locations. He also urged Chardham pilgrims to stay there and wait for the weather to improve before continuing their trek.

"The rescue crew is having trouble due to the severe rains, but we will save everyone.  Indian meteorological Department has also stated that rain will be less from today. We urge everyone not to travel till the crisis has stabilised " he added.

The damage inflicted by the rain is being examined, according to the Uttarakhand chief minister, who conceded that farmers had been badly impacted by the constant rain. He further stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him to assess the situation and assured him of all assistance.

Numerous roadways in Uttarakhand have been obstructed or washed away owing to landslides in the previous two days. On the Haldwani-Sitarganj route, a bridge over the Gola River was swept away, putting traffic to a full halt. Trains to Kathgodam were also canceled due to the station's shunting line being swept away.

A series of landslides shut Nainital off from the rest of the state, closing three highways going to the renowned tourist destination. The renowned Mall Road in Nainital, as well as the Naina Devi temple on the shores of the Nainital Lake, have been inundated, while landslides have destroyed a hostel building.

A cloudburst in the Ramgarh block of the Nainital district is thought to have buried at least ten persons, according to an official. The cloudburst, which is defined as a rapid and extremely heavy localised rainfall, occurred at about 5 a.m. on Tuesday, causing a flash flood in the Ramgarh and Okhladanda blocks.

"It caused significant damage in Ramgarh and the Okhladanda block... According to Nainital district magistrate Dheeraj Singh Garbiyal, "at least ten individuals are suspected of being buried under mud in Ramgarh's Khiladi village." "However, precise information will only be available after rescue and administrative personnel get on the scene," Garbiyal, who was on his way to the scene, added.

Around 100 tourists were stranded at Lemon Tree on the Ramnagar-Ranikhet road when landslides blocked exits in Nainital town, as water from the swelling Kosi river reached the resort. According to a source, the district administration is attempting to assist visitors who have become trapped in town, and police have been dispatched to warn incoming and departing vehicles.

Rainfall activity in the state is expected to decrease considerably starting Tuesday, according to the Indian Meteorological Department. "On the 22nd and 23rd of October, isolated to scattered rain/snow across Himachal Pradesh, and isolated to scattered rainfall over Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, and northwest Rajasthan," the IMD stated.