Red Alert Across Uttarakhand as Landslides Hit Pilgrimage Routes

Heavy rainfall and landslides disrupted Uttarakhand's two major pilgrimages on Saturday, forcing authorities to suspend horse-mule and doli services on the Kedarnath route while halting a batch of Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra pilgrims. The developments came as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of widespread heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across the Himalayan state over the next few days.

The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) directed all district magistrates to activate precautionary measures following forecasts of intense rain, thunderstorms and localized cloudburst-like conditions. A red alert has been issued for Nainital, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar on Sunday, while several other districts remain under orange and yellow alerts.

The weather office has also forecast extremely heavy rainfall in Dehradun, Haridwar and Tehri on July 20, with warnings extending into July 22 for multiple hill districts. Authorities fear saturated slopes could trigger additional landslides and road blockages.

The Kedarnath pedestrian route between Gaurikund and Kedarnath , blocked a day earlier after boulders and debris crashed onto the track, has been reopened for walkers after rapid clearance operations. However, horse-mule and palanquin services remain suspended as a safety precaution, officials said.

Meanwhile, in Pithoragarh district , the fourth batch of 50 Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrims has been stopped at the Dharchula base camp after a landslide at Garbadhar blocked the road leading towards Gunji.

Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman instructed district administrations to maintain round-the-clock monitoring, keep emergency operation centres fully functional and position rescue teams and heavy machinery at vulnerable locations. Officials have also been asked to ensure quick response capabilities along landslide-prone routes.

The administration has urged Char Dham pilgrims, tourists and local residents to avoid unnecessary travel during adverse weather, monitor official forecasts before starting journeys and stay away from rivers, seasonal streams and waterlogged areas until conditions improve. Emergency teams remain on standby as rainfall continues across the state.