Heavy Rain Brings Relief To Uttarakhand Singed By Raging Forest Fires That Claimed 5 Lives: WATCH

Several parts of Uttarakhand received heavy rains and hailstorm that brought relief from the raging forest fires that caused widespread damage.

After Uttarakhand received its first major spell of rain, it brought with it a major sense of releif for the people as it extinguished the raging forest fires in several parts including Bageshwar. The rain also brought respite from the smoke induced by the forest fire that wreaked havoc in the Himalayan state, damaging 1300 hectares of land and claiming five lives.

Although the heavy rainfall also caused damage, road blockages, with water entering into the houses, it also brought with it a sense of relief for the people as the forest fires were doused in areas where rainfall occurred.

On Wednesday, a cloudburst in Almora's Someshwar district damaged the crops, causing losses to farmers with both small and large land holdings.

Following this, the farmers in Pithoragarh demanded compensation from the state government for the loss incurred due to the destruction of their crops by a hailstorm, NDTV reported.  

Forest fires were also extinguished in some parts of the Kumaon region, which comes under the Almora district, the report noted.

Heavy rainfall also resulted in massive traffic snarls in the Bageshwar district in several places on the Kapkot Bageshwar road. Several people were also stuck while trying to cross a small stream that was overflowing with water after the rain. 

Traffic movement was also disrupted in a market near Uttarkashi district's Purola Hudoli ravine.

Uttarakhand Forest Fire: 5 Killed,1300 Hectares Of Land Affected

Uttarakhand's Chief Conservator of Forest with an additional charge of Head of Forest Force Dhananjay Mohan stated that the situation of forest fires was under control. He confirmed that the forest fires claimed the lives of five people and damaged 1300 hectares of forest area.

"The situation of forest fire is currently under control. Forest department personnel are reaching on time at the accident spot. So far 388 cases have been registered in forest fires and 60 cases have been named. 5 people have lost their lives out of them 4 were from Nepal and working in Almora.The other deceased is an aged woman who lost her life in Pauri," Dhananjay Mohan told ANI. 

The Supreme Court on Wednesday rapped the Uttarakhand government during a hearing on forest fires and stated that the administration just cannot only depend on rain and cloud seeding to control the forest fire.

The Uttarakhand government informed the apex court about the steps it had taken to control the blazes and added that 0.1 per cent of the wildlife cover in the state was on fire. The government also apprised the Supreme Court that it had registered 350 cases out of the 398 forest fires- related incidents in the state.