Rudraprayag : Continuous rains have been reported in Rudraprayag town and other hilly areas of the district, with skies covered with dense clouds. Due to the rains, water flow in the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers has increased and is nearing the warning level, prompting authorities to issue an alert for people living in vulnerable areas.
The administration has urged residents living along the riverbanks to remain cautious and avoid going near rivers, streams and other water channels amid the prevailing weather conditions. The Rudraprayag district administration in Uttarakhand remains on high alert and several small and large glacial lakes located in the high-altitude areas of the district, including Kedarnath and Madhyamaheshwar, are being continuously monitored due to their sensitivity.
On Friday, District Magistrate Vishal Mishra said that since the 2013 disaster, both the state and central governments have focused heavily on strengthening disaster preparedness in the district.
"Since the 2013 disaster, both the state and central governments have focused heavily on this district. We receive timely alerts from the state, and the State Emergency Operation Centre actively monitors the Himalayan glaciers," Mishra told news agency. "Our goal is to prevent any inconvenience to the public, ensure timely warnings, and establish a robust mechanism that keeps us fully prepared to tackle disasters," he added.
The administration has installed necessary equipment to receive timely information about emergencies such as earthquakes, heavy snowfall, glacier bursts and floods. Any disaster-related information received from the high Himalayan areas is immediately communicated to the district headquarters. The administration has said that safety arrangements and surveillance in vulnerable areas are being continuously maintained to deal with any emergency.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rainfall at several places in Uttarakhand until September 7. According to the IMD forecast, heavy rain is likely at isolated places in several districts on Thursday, including Dehradun, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Nainital, Champawat, Udham Singh Nagar, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar. There is also a prediction of thunderstorms with lightning and intense to very intense spells in a few places.