Char Dham Yatra Suspended For Second Day as Heavy Rain Lashes Uttarakhand, Two Dead

The Char Dham Yatra remained suspended for the second consecutive day on Sunday as heavy rain continued across Uttarakhand, while two people, including a child, died in separate rain-related incidents. Around 136 mountaineers, including several foreign nationals, were also stranded in different mountainous locations after heavy snowfall. Authorities continued efforts to evacuate those stranded and warned residents and tourists to remain cautious amid worsening weather conditions.

The stranded mountaineers were located in high-altitude areas affected by snowfall, with officials working to airlift them to safety using helicopters. Rafting activities near Rishikesh were also suspended after the Ganga’s water level rose rapidly following heavy rainfall. Officials continued to monitor the river as persistent rain increased the risk of flooding and other weather-related incidents in several parts of the state.

According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, a child was killed and another person injured after being struck by a landslide in the Chirbasa area along the Kedarnath trek route. In a separate incident in Pauri district, a man identified as Balveer Singh died after being buried under debris when a house collapsed in the Thalisain area. Two mud houses also collapsed in Nainital district, although no casualties were reported in those incidents.

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The State Disaster Response Force said a landslide near Munna Band in Pithoragarh district blocked a road, leaving travellers unable to cross the affected stretch. Around 500 people were assisted in crossing the area with the help of ropes. The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Champawat, Nainital and Pauri districts, warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall. An orange alert was issued for the remaining districts, including Dehradun.

Heavy rain has affected most parts of Uttarakhand since Saturday, while snowfall in higher-altitude areas caused temperatures to fall across the state. Dehradun recorded a maximum temperature of 21.1 degrees Celsius on Sunday, around nine degrees below normal, while the minimum temperature was 18.2 degrees Celsius. The continuing rain and snowfall also disrupted travel and increased concerns over landslides, road blockages and other hazards in mountainous areas.

The Char Dham suspension was ordered by Garhwal Commissioner Anand Swaroop in view of the adverse weather, after the pilgrimage was also halted on Saturday. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed officials to remain on round-the-clock alert and urged residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel. He advised people to undertake journeys only when essential and to check weather and road conditions before travelling, while following official safety advisories.

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