Uttarakhand: Heavy rains claim two more lives; people living near rivers evacuated

Incessant rains across Uttarakhand on Sunday claimed two more lives, taking the toll in the current spell of rains in the state to three even as most rivers flew close to the danger mark prompting the administration to evacuate people living in settlements along them.

Haridwar-Delhi Highway closed following heavy rainfall and routes were diverted. The railway track in Haridwar was blocked due to debris. The Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra road near Mangti border was also blocked. The route os likely to open by Sunday Evening, the District Disaster Officer, Pithoragarh (U'khand) told ANI.

Two persons died late Saturday evening in Nandgaon village near Badkot in Uttarkashi district when a tree fell on their house following heavy rains in the area, SDM Badkot Rajkumar Pandey said.

55-year-old Prem Singh died on the spot as the stone ceiling of their house caved in over them under the weight of the tree while 60-year-old Jagat Chand died on way to the hospital, he said. 15-year-old Akash Ram was also seriously injured in the incident, he said.

With two more deaths reported from Uttarkashi the toll in the current spell of rains in Uttarakhand which started on Friday night rose climbed to three. Six others reportedly died when their car fell into a gorge.

A woman was killed on Saturday morning as the bus she was travelling in overturned after being hit by the overflowing waters of a canal in Haldwani in Nainital district.

Incessant rains are likely to continue in the state for another 24 hours making things worse especially in Udhamsingh Nagar, Haridwar and Dehradun districts where extremely heavy rains are expected at a couple of places during the period, MeT office Director Vikram Singh said.

Two houses were also damaged by torrential rains in Uttarkashi district while two rooms of controversial godman Pilot Baba's ashram at Saini near Maneri were washed away by the swollen Bhagirathi river which is flowing close to the danger mark at 1121.0 metres.

People living close to the banks of the Ganga and its tributaries Bhagirathi, Alaknanada and Mandakini spread over different districts including Haridwar, Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag are being evacuated to safer locations.Central Water Commission said the

Central Water Commission said the Ganga at Haridwar is flowing very near the danger mark at 293.20 metres while the danger level is pegged at 294 metres.

The situation may get alarming as the MeT department has forecast extremely heavy rains in the district over the next 24 hours. Roorkee in Haridwar district received maximum rains at 318 MM followed by neighbouring Laksar which received 150 MM of rains and Haridwar at 101.8 MM. Other districts which received heavy rains were Almora 103.2 MM, Dehradun 74.5 MM and Champawat 70.4.

However, the MeT department said the weather may improve from tomorrow onwards with a significant drop in rainfall activity likely in the region.