Dehradun: A section of the Gangotri National Highway in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi region collapsed today (August 5) as a result of a landslide near the Forest Department office at Lisa Depot. Vehicular movement has been disrupted due to the incident. Officials have indicated that approximately 60 metres of the highway have given way, and this area is in proximity to a strategically significant airstrip. The landslide is believed to have been triggered by the presence of the Tehri Dam in the vicinity, according to officials. To prevent any untoward incidents, authorities have installed warning signs for commuters.
Vinod Kumar Devadi, Officer-in-Charge of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), has informed higher officials about the situation, and steps are being taken to address the issue, including the placement of danger signs.
Moreover, a massive landslide occurred in Rudraprayag district, resulting in three fatalities and the reported disappearance of seventeen individuals. The incident took place approximately 16 kilometres before Kedarnath in Gaurikund. Two roadside shops and dhabas were swept away by the substantial debris that descended from the mountainside. Among those affected, four local residents and sixteen individuals of Nepali origin were present at these establishments during the time of the landslide. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) is actively engaged in search and rescue operations at the site.
In a separate incident on Friday, traffic on the highway has been halted for the day, about 500 metres ahead of Bhatwadi, due to falling debris. This situation has left devotees en route to the Gangotri Dham Yatra stranded, as reported by the Uttarkashi district administration. Meanwhile, officials have confirmed that the road near Nandaprayag and Chhinka on the Badrinath National Highway, which was obstructed earlier due to debris, has now been cleared and is open for traffic.
The State Disaster Management Department has highlighted that significant loss of life and property damage has been attributed to cloudbursts and landslides. Since June 15 of this year, the state has reported ten deaths and five injuries due to landslides, nineteen deaths and twenty-one injuries caused by cloudbursts or heavy rainfall, and two deaths and five injuries due to lightning strikes. Additionally, cloudbursts have resulted in the complete destruction of thirty-two houses.
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