Dehradun: Snowfall was reported in higher reaches of Uttarakhand’s Garhwal region as the Indian Meteorological Department on Thursday issued a ‘red’ alert for heavy rainfall across the state in the coming days.
The IMD said Uttarakhand is likely to experience light to moderate rainfall from September 12 to 14, with heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in isolated areas.
As heavy rains continue in part of the state, schools in some districts including Dehradun and Chamoli have been ordered to shut down following the IMD’s alert.
Kumaon and Garhwal regions have been lashed by rain since Thursday morning. Snowfall was also reported in the high Himalayan region of Garhwal.
An official of the meteorological centre said that snowfall has been reported at an altitude of 5000 metres in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand.
Meanwhile, the hotel owners of Gaurikund have decided to charge only one day's rent from the pilgrims stranded due to rain on the Kedarnath trekking route.
Gaurikund Vyapar Mandal said that the Sonprayag-Gaurikund road has been closed due to heavy rains and due to this, passengers have to stay longer in Gaurikund but they will be charged only one day's fare.
The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority has issued instructions to all the District Magistrates to take full precautions in view of the warning issued by the IMD.
In its letter, the authority has said that the IMD has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at some places in Chamoli, Dehradun, Pauri, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Almora, Champawat, Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar on Thursday and in Dehradun, Pauri, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar on Friday.
The authority said that due to this there is a possibility of waterlogging in the plain areas and landslides in the hilly districts, in view of which full caution should be taken.
(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)