Kumaon bears the brunt of rain

BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh July 24

Over 22 mm rain in the hills and 122 mm in the plains of Champawat district for the past 24 hours has disrupted the vehicular traffic on the main highways and village roads and posed a threat to livelihood by washing away fertile fields of Nachni farmers residing along the Ramganga.

“A total of 27 families of Bhanskhal village near the bank of the Ramganga have to face a crisis of their livelihood in the coming years as the flooded river has washed away over 5 acres of their fertile land,” said Puran Singh, a villager of Bhanskhal village of Nachni.

Pithoragarh District Disaster Management office today released a figure informing that the district had witnessed a complete damage to 37 houses and partially loss to 343 houses due to the rain in the district. “We have distributed a sum of Rs 117 lakh to the families whose houses have been damaged in the district,” said RS Rana, District Disaster Management Officer.

According to reports from Tanakpur in Champawat district, not only pilgrims going to Purnagiri temple had to face difficulties due to heavy debris at Batnagar and Kirora, but also roads in 10 villages had been closed for several days, posing problems for the villagers residing in the area.

“Villagers are facing difficulties in reaching the market by walking to several kilometres,” said Prakash Joshi, a resident of Quiralaghati in Champawat district.

The rainfall, which continued since last night, has also posed drinking water crisis. Over 50 households of Garjia in the Askot area have been facing drinking water problem since last week as the pipeline that provides drinking water to villagers was washed away. “ We are trying our best to collect money to repair that project,” said Prashant Bhandari, block pramukh of Kanalichina block.

According to reports received from Dwarahat and Ranikhet sub- divisions of Almora district, three houses have been damaged in Tarikhet village of the district due to heavy rain last night. The road to the region has been closed for the last three days.

“We have demanded compensation for our destroyed houses from the district administration as we do not have any other shelter to cover our heads,” said Til Ram, a villager from Kapina in Ranikhet sub-division of Almora district.

Met warns of heavy rain 

Dehradun: The State Meteorological Centre has forecast heavy to very heavy rain at a few places with extremely heavy rain at isolated places in different cities for the next 72 hours, starting from July 25. 

The heavy to very heavy rain likely to occur at a few places with extremely heavy rain at isolated places in Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri, Nainital, Almora, Champawat and US Nagar districts of the state. District administration officials were asked to remain vigilant during these days.  

The maximum temperatures remained normal to below normal in the plains and appreciably below normal in the hills of Uttarakhand.  The government issued directives to district administration officials to remain alert. 

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel were strictly instructed to remain vigilant in the higher reaches  and disaster prone areas of the state. The maximum temperature was recorded at 30 degree Celsius, while the minimum temperature was 23 degree Celsius.  

State Meteorological Centre director Bikram Singh said heavy to heavy rain was likely to occur in different cities of the state. He said rainfall would occur due to western disturbance. He said moderate rain or thundershowers were very likely to occur at most places in the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions.