Uttarakhand: Forest officer drowns in drain in Nainital, roads blocked due to landslides

Dehradun, Sep 4 (PTI) A forest officer has died after being swept away by an overflowing drain in Uttarakhand's Nanital district, officials said on Thursday.

Also, a total of 54 roads, including national highways, are blocked due to landslides in the hill state, they added.

According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), Devendra Singh (35) was swept away in the Dhaniyakot drain in the Kainchidham area of Nainital on Wednesday evening.

On receiving the information, teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police and revenue department reached the spot and launched a search operation. The body was retrieved at around 3 am on Thursday.

Singh was posted in the Betalghat forest range and was a resident of the Dhaniyakot area of ​​Kainchidham.

A house was damaged in Sagwara village in Tharali tehsil of Chamoli district in the morning. However, it was vacant and no one was harmed, the SEOC said.

Removal of debris to improve drainage from the Syanachatti lake on the Yamunotri highway is being hampered by continuous rain and debris flow from the Gadhgad drain. RBM (river bed material) buildup has raised the lake's water level by two-three metres.

The Syanachatti bridge was closed after the water of the Yamuna river started flowing on it following heavy rains in the nearby Janakichatti area on Wednesday night.

Fifty-four roads, including national highways and state highways, are blocked due to landslides caused by incessant rains.

The Rishikesh-Yamunotri national highway is blocked at a dozen places like Jharjargad, Jangalchatti, Banas, Naradchatti, Silaiband, Kalyani, Hareti, Phedi, Gevla, Kumrada and Mahargaon. The Rishikesh-Gangotri national highway is blocked at Nagun and Dharasu. The Rishikesh-Kedarnath national highway is blocked due to landslides at Banswara, Hilans Hotel and Herobag. The Kwarab-Bhowali-Jeolikote national highway is blocked at Nainital and the Joshimath-Malari-Niti national highway is also blocked.

According to the SEOC, teams of the public works department and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) are engaged in opening the roads.

Due to inclement weather, the state government has cancelled the pilgrimage to Hemkund Sahib and the four dhams of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri till September 5. PTI DPT APL RC