News Brief
Uttarakhand Floods: 28 Killed And Hundreds Evacuated; PM Modi Assures CM All Help While Amit Shah Plans Inspection
- On Tuesday (19 October), several houses collapsed in Uttarakhand’s Kumaon region following the incessant downpour. Most rivers in the State are in spate. The toll due to rain-related incidents reportedly reached 47.
- Twenty-eight people were killed in Nainital district, six each in Almora and Champawat, and one each in Pithoragarh and Udham Singh Nagar districts, an official was quoted as saying by The Hindu.
- Connectivity to Nainital was restored only in the evening after hours of struggle with the bad weather. Despite continuing showers, the blocked roads were cleared, and stranded tourists began to leave for their destinations through Kaladhungi and Haldwani.
- Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami undertook an aerial survey of the rain-hit areas and also interacted with the affected people.
- Interacting with the disaster-affected people in Rudraprayag, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar districts, Dhami said people need to have patience in this hour of crisis.
- He announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in rain-related incidents.
- Dhami also reiterated his appeal to Chardham Yatra pilgrims to stay where they are and not resume their journeys before the weather improves. However, a Devasthanam Board official said the yatra to Yamunotri in Uttarkashi has resumed with a record 2,381 pilgrims visiting the temple on Tuesday.
- Director-General of Police Ashok Kumar, who accompanied the Chief Minister on his visit to Kumaon, said roads, bridges and railway tracks have been damaged in Kathgodam and Lalkuan in Nainital and Rudrapur in Udham Singh Nagar district.
- Around 100 people stranded at the Lemon Tree resort on the Ramnagar-Ranikhet route after water from the swollen Kosi river entered the resort were later evacuated to safety.
- The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said most rivers in the State were in spate. The water level in the Ganga in Haridwar reached 293.90 metres, just a notch below the danger mark of 294 metres.
- Kali and Saryu rivers in Pithoragarh have reached the danger marks of 890 metres and 453 metres respectively. The Gori river is flowing close to the danger mark at 606.75 metres, the SEOC said.
- Nainital received 90 mm rainfall, Haldwani 128 mm, Koshyakutoli 86.6 mm, Almora 216. 6 mm, Dwarahot 184 mm and Jageshwar 176 mm, the SEOC said.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to CM Dhami on the phone and assured him all help. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is today scheduled to visit the disaster-stricken state, and will conduct an aerial survey of the affected areas tomorrow.
People stranded due to rain in Uttarakhand.
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