Heavy rains in Uttarakhand; 8-year-old girl washed away

Low-lying areas in various parts of the state such as Udhamsingh Nagar and Dehra Dun were also inundated after the water level of several rivers like Ganga, Yamuna and other rain-fed rivers like Rispana, Bindal and Song increased following the heavy downpour. Meanwhile, Pantnagar recorded the heaviest rainfall in the state during the past 24 hours at 121.6 mm followed by Lansedowne with 65.0 mm rains, Chamoli 60.0 mm, Nainital 55.0 mm, Dehra Dun 48.7 mm and Mussoorie 38.0 mm, the Met office said. The weather department has predicted that rains would continue to lash various parts of the state for another day with the possibility of heavy rains in Chamoli, Haridwar, Uttarkashi, Dehra Dun, Nainital, Almora, Champawat and Udhamsingh Nagar. In view of prediction of more rains, the state government has asked all the 13 District Magistrates to keep their staff on high alert to handle any eventuality that may hit the state. Last year during monsoons, over 200 people lost their lives while hundreds of others were rendered homeless in natural calamities like landslides, cloudbursts and floods in the state.

pti