Landslide alert issued for four Uttarakhand districts amid heavy rain forecast

Dehradun, July 7 (IANS) The State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) in Uttarakhand has issued a high-alert landslide warning for four districts—Tehri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli—following a forecast by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The alert, dated July 6, warns of potential landslides on July 7 and 8 in several subdivisions, including Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Ukhimath, Ghansali, Narendra Nagar, Dhanaulti, Dunda, and Chinyalisaur.

The IMD has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in these regions, significantly increasing the risk of slope failures and road blockages.

In response, the SEOC has directed all district magistrates and disaster management authorities to implement strict precautionary measures. These include maintaining high alert across all administrative levels, regulating vehicular movement, and ensuring rapid response in case of any disaster. All nodal officers under the Incident Response System (IRS) have been instructed to remain on high alert.

Agencies have been asked to immediately clear any blocked motorways, be it the national highway, Pradhanmantri Gramin Sadak or any other road. Local officials, including revenue inspectors, village development officers, and gram panchayat officers, are required to stay stationed in their respective areas. Police stations and outposts have been directed to remain equipped with disaster response tools and wireless communication systems.

Officers have been advised to carry essential gear such as raincoats, torches, helmets, and emergency supplies in their vehicles. The government officers and staff will not switch off their mobile phones during the above period.

Arrangements for food and medical aid must be ensured in case of stranded individuals. To safeguard schoolchildren, special caution is advised in educational institutions. Tourist movement in high Himalayan regions is to be restricted during the warning period, and both vehicular and pedestrian travel must be halted during intense rainfall.

District information officers have been instructed to disseminate this warning widely through print and visual media, urging the public to avoid unnecessary travel.

Sensitive routes and landslide-prone zones must be equipped with signage and machinery such as earthmoving equipment, excavators to manage emergencies. The SEOC has emphasised that any disaster-related information must be promptly reported to the state control room via designated emergency contact numbers.

--IANS

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