Heavy Rain Alert In Dehradun, Weather Office Says, Avoid Mountain Roads

A heavy rain alert has been issued in Dehradun by the Indian Meteorological Department. Heavy rains are expected from tonight to July 27 and very rainfall is expected on July 22, says the weather department.

The motorists are also advised caution on mountain roads as there can be landslides along the way, the advisory said.

Uttarkhand has been experiencing heavy rains since last few days. On Friday, a car got washed away in Haridwar's Kharkhari area after heavy rainfall lashed the region. No casualty was reported.

Two persons also died on the same day after a cloud burst triggered heavy rains in Chamoli district of the hill state.

The rain on Thursday followed the cloudburst at Malari village that led to a major chunk of a hill to collapse.

Two of the bodies have been extracted while search continues for three more.

The heavy rains and inclement weather have also disrupted the Char Dham pilgrimage. The Badrinath-Lambagad highway was blocked, and also the Gangotri National Highway between Therang and Gangnani, near Nagdevta due to debris coming down on the road.

"Owing to some landslides and the subsequent debris falling on the highway traffic has been halted at Gangotri, Gangnani, Bhatwadi and Uttarkashi," he added.

Labourers of the Border Road Organization (BRO) have been working to clear the road as there is a long queue of vehicles that are part of the annual ''Char Dham'' (Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath) pilgrimage.  The Hemkund pilgrimage continues uninterrupted.

(With Inputs From ANI, IANS)