A sudden cloudburst in Baligarh, along the Barkot-Yamunotri road in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, has left eight to nine workers missing after severe damage to an under-construction hotel site on Sunday morning.
According to Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya, teams from the police, SDRF, and NDRF have been deployed for rescue operations, which are still ongoing. The cloudburst was triggered by intense rainfall, part of a broader weather pattern affecting the region.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert for Sunday and Monday, warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and lightning at several isolated places in the hill state.
In response to the alert and worsening weather:
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The Char Dham Yatra has been suspended for 24 hours.
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Pilgrims have been stopped at Haridwar on orders from Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey.
Rainfall-related disruptions include:
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Blockage of the National Highway near Nandprayag and Bhaneropani.
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Restricted movement on the Sonprayag–Munkatiya road due to landslides and falling debris.
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The Kedarnath pilgrimage route was shut down between Sonprayag shuttle bridge and Munkatiya sliding zone, and pilgrims are being held at Sonprayag and Gaurikund for safety.
The situation remains tense as rescue operations continue and authorities monitor further risks from landslides and flash floods in the rain-battered region.
