Uttarakhand has been witnessing relentless rain over the past few days, severely affecting daily life across the state. From the hill regions to the plains, heavy downpours have triggered rising water levels in rivers and streams, heightening fears of flash floods and landslides. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also issued a statewide alert, warning of continued heavy rainfall over the next four days.
In response, the state government has announced the closure of all government, private, and aided schools and Anganwadi centres in 12 districts including Dehradun, Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Almora, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, and Champawat for the day.
District authorities in Dehradun, acting on a red alert issued by both the IMD and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), have extended this closure to all educational institutions up to Class 12, including staff and teaching personnel. The administration has urged parents to keep children indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.
Uttarakhand Rains: Chardham, Hemkund Sahib Yatra Temporarily Halted
The ongoing Chardham and Hemkund Sahib pilgrimage has been temporarily suspended due to hazardous weather conditions in the higher altitudes. With reports of landslides and blocked roads pouring in from multiple districts, the state government has decided to pause the yatra until September 5, putting the safety of pilgrims first.
Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey stated that road clearance operations are underway, but given the unpredictable weather, it would be risky to allow the pilgrimage to continue. "We request all devotees to avoid travelling to the yatra routes for now and wait for further updates from local authorities," he said.
The administration has assured that the pilgrimage will resume only once the weather stabilizes and the roads are declared safe.