The Indian Himalayas have been in chaos ever since the arrival of Monsoon this year. The ongoing floods and destruction in the Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are proof of the increasing climate risks to an already vulnerable and weak ecosystem. The constant rise in land and sea temperatures has made the Himalayas vulnerable to heavy rain and disasters. Due to this heavy rain, people are facing a lot of problems.
On June 29, 2024, water level in Ganga River increased in Haridwar district of Uttarakhand. Due to this the vehicles of the devotees, who came to worship at Har Ki Pauri, the Ganga Ghat in Haridwar were submerged in the river water. Not only this, the water level in the dry river in the Sureshwari Devi Temple of Haridwar is also high, due to which many devotees remained stuck there for a long time and the rescue team came to take them out there.
Another big problem faced by the people of Uttarakhand is that in Bharpur village in the Bahadarabad area of Haridwar district, three people were killed and many were injured after a house collapsed due to heavy rain on July 31.
Even in Uttarakhand’s capital Dehradun water gushed into many homes besides leaving the roads heavily waterlogged at various places in the city, due to which seven people, including three of a family, were killed and four people also went missing.
In Kedarnath also, 10 people died and significant infrastructure damage occurred including the destruction of the concrete bridge and a footbridge on the Kedarnath route due to heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand. Efforts are being made to open obstructed routes, including 100 pathways, with the Chardham routes remaining operational except for the Kedarnath footpath. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the affected areas earlier on Thursday. He conducted a review meeting with officials at the State Emergency Operation Centre to access rescue and relief operations promoted by the heavy rainfall.
Due to this extreme rainfall, not only the people of Uttarakhand but also the people of Himachal Pradesh have to face many problems. On 1st August, 2024, 11 people are dead and over 50 people are missing in Shimla, Mandi and Kullu districts due to the incidents of cloudbursts in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Many houses, schools, and hospitals have been damaged. Relief and rescue operations are underway. Authorities have ordered the closure of all schools and colleges in Kullu and Mandi.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who shared the casualty figures with the media, said officials had been instructed to make all necessary arrangements. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is closely monitoring the situation, reported ANI, citing sources. PM Modi also ordered officials to ensure all possible assistance to the victims of heavy rains and cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh.
