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Tourists stranded in higher reaches due to landslides
Tribune News Service
Dehradun, March 30
Dehradun and adjoining cities received rainfall above than normal in the month of March.
The latest data compiled by State Meteorological Centre clearly highlighted that Dehradun received 181 mm rainfall against average rainfall of 51 mm in March in Dehradun.
Speaking with The Tribune, State Meteorological Centre Director Anand Sharma told that rain lashed low-lying areas while snowfall was witnessed in mountainous areas due to western disturbances.
He said that an all-time record of rainfall was recorded in 1967 when Dehradun received 198 mm of rainfall in March.
Sharma said that weather is likely to improve from tomorrow onwards in Dehradun. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 28ºC and 14ºC respectively.
He forecast that rain or snow may occur at isolated places in hills, especially Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Pithoragarh districts of Uttarakhand. Dry weather would prevail in rest of the Uttarakhand.
Sharma said stormy weather conditions are likely to prevail on April 1 and 2.
Chief Secretary N Ravishankar has directed District Magistrates of Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Pithoragarh districts, respectively, to remain alert as incessant rainfall has been experienced during the last two days in the state.
He instructed his staff to make necessary arrangements to ensure rescue operations if a natural calamity strikes owing to rainfall or snowfall in the near future.
The intense cold wave sweeping Uttarakhand showed no signs of relenting with mostly higher areas of state witnessing a cold wave. The Char Dhams Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Badrinath received fresh snowfall while rainfall continued to lash higher areas of Pithoragarh.
The vehicular flow of traffic in the higher altitude areas was badly affected as landslides and mudslides occurred due to incessant rainfall.
The tourists were reported to be stranded on different routes, especially Champawat, Pithoragarh, Pauri, Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts due to blocked roads in the higher areas of the state.
Officials claimed that several teams were made to clear debris from the middle of the roads to ensure smooth flow of vehicular traffic but adverse weather conditions had hampered their efforts.
The residents in Dehradun, Roorkee, Udham Singh Nagar, Chakrata, Mussoorie, Gopeshwar, Chopta, Uttarkashi, Rishikesh, Vikas Nagar, Harshil, Haridwar, Pauri, Tehri, Kotdwar etc. faced the brunt of erratic power supply as stormy weather had adversely affected electricity distribution system in the state.
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