Monsoon season in India means being prepared for the best and the worst. Cool-weather or extreme landslides. And unfortunately, more often than we’d like, it’s the worst. In a similar worst-case scenario, the Badrinath National Highway had to be shut down, leaving many tourists in distress.
Badrinath National Highway Blocked Due To Landslide
Uttarakhand has been experiencing continuous and intense rainfall for the past few days. Many places in the state, including well-known tourist spots like Mussoorie and Nainital, have witnessed landslides.
Recently, due to heavy rains, a landslide blocked the Badrinath National Highway near Chhinka in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Thursday.
This unfortunate event left numerous pilgrims stranded, including those who were travelling to Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib.
A section of the mountain broke apart and slid down onto the national highway, causing a complete obstruction and preventing any vehicles from reaching Badrinath.
This sudden and significant landslide has resulted in disruption of transportation in the area. The incident has left the highway impassable. It has also cut off access to the pilgrimage site, creating a challenging situation for travellers hoping to reach Badrinath.
Also Read: Kedarnath & Badrinath Experience Bad Weather; Char Dham Yatra Stopped As Precautionary Measure
The local authorities in Chamoli have taken proactive measures to support the stranded pilgrims by providing them with drinking water and snacks.
The district experienced relentless heavy rains, leading to challenging conditions in various areas.
This incident occurred just three days following flash floods and landslides. This caused massive traffic congestion of approximately 15 kilometres.
Over 100 Tourists Left Stranded After Landslide On Badrinath Highway
The congestion happened on the national highway connecting Mandi and Kullu in the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh. Over 200 individuals were left stranded due to these unfortunate events.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has raised an orange alert for specific regions in Uttarakhand, signalling the potential occurrence of severe rainfall. This alert has prompted local authorities to be on high alert and implement precautionary measures.
These measures will help safeguard the well-being of residents and the many tourists currently visiting the mountainous state.
Also Read: After Joshimath Cracks, Badrinath National Highway And Houses In Rishikesh Are Seeing Cracks Too
The latest update from the IMD reports that the Southwest Monsoon has already covered approximately 80% of the country. The IMD anticipates that the remaining areas will experience the arrival of the monsoon within the next two days.
This progress of the monsoon across the nation brings both relief and increases the need for preparedness in the regions yet to be affected.
Cover Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons
First Published: June 29, 2023 6:58 PM