Landslides hit pilgrimage to Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri

Fresh landslides triggered by rains today disrupted the pilgrimage to Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand.

The landslides hit various places in Chamoli and Uttarkashi districts blocking the routes to the shrines of Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri, Disaster Management and Mitigation Centre (DMMC) said here.

While Rishikesh-Badrinath national highway was blocked by landslides at Chhinka area, Rishikesh-Gangotri national highway was hit at Karmkund blocking vehicular traffic, they said, adding the road leading to Yamunotri has been blocked at Ranachatti.

Teams comprising personnel of police, ITBP and BRO have been pressed into service to clear the debris and reopen the routes for vehicular traffic.

The rains also pushed up the water level of a pond at Dhakrani area of Vikasnagar near here damaging 15 houses this morning.

Moderate to heavy rains continued to lash most parts of Uttarakhand with Banbasa receiving maximum 117 mm of rainfall followed by Champawat with 113 mm, Nainital 102 mm, Srinagar and Rishikesh 73 mm, Haridwar 65 mm and Dehra Dun 60 mm during the past 24 hours, Met office here said.