Ganga water level surges amid heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand, authorities on alert

NEW DELHI: The water level of the Ganga River in Rishikesh surged significantly on Sunday due to torrential rains in Uttarakhand.
With the river's water level rising to Triveni Ghat Aarti Sthal, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has issued a warning for travellers, urging them to avoid staying at the ghats overnight.
Superintendent of Police (Rural) Dehradun, Lokjeet, reported that the police are in constant coordination with the administration and have evacuated residents from the riverbanks.
He said, "The rise in the water level was earlier predicted. We are in constant contact with the administration and concerned departments. The police are also taking preventive actions. People living near the River bank have been displaced. Efforts are being made to stop people from visiting the river banks."
The Meteorological Centre in Uttarakhand has forecasted heavy to very heavy rainfall in various areas, with extremely heavy rainfall likely in isolated regions of Kumaon. Chamoli, Rudraprayag, and Pauri districts are expected to experience heavy rain on July 7.
Heavy rainfall is expected on Sunday in the Dehradun, Tehri, Haridwar, and Uttarkashi districts. The forecast also predicts thunderstorms with lightning and intense downpours on July 8-9 in both the hills and plains of the state. Additional heavy rains are anticipated on July 10 in the Tehri, Pauri, Bageshwar, Almora, Nainital, and Champawat districts.
Given these warnings, the state government has urged residents to remain in safe areas and exercise caution due to the potential hazards posed by the heavy rains.



Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday instructed district magistrates in the affected areas to remain on high alert, especially in the nine districts predicted to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall on July 7.
The Chardham Yatra has also been temporarily suspended following the weather department's forecast of heavy to very heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand's Garhwal region on July 7-8. Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey announced the decision to postpone the pilgrimage to ensure the safety of the devotees.