2 IAF personnel drown in lake as Uttarakhand battles heavy rains

Amidst relentless heavy rains lashing Uttarakhand, two Indian Air Force personnel tragically drowned in a swollen lake in Bhimtal on Friday. The deceased, identified as Prince Yadav from Pathankot, Punjab, and Sahil Kumar from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, were part of a group of eight IAF personnel, including four women, who were vacationing in Nainital. Local residents joined police in a nearly hour-long rescue operation to recover their bodies from the lake.

The monsoon's intensity has severely impacted daily life across the state, leading to widespread disruptions. Over 109 roads have been closed due to rain-related blockages, including crucial stretches of the Chardham Yatra routes. The highway to Yamunotri has been blocked for five days following a massive landslide at Silai bend, which left nine people missing and washed out a 12-meter stretch of the road. Similarly, the road to Kedarnath remains impassable due to landslide debris between Sonprayag and Gaurikund, making pilgrim movement impossible. Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday to assess the situation in disaster-sensitive districts, assuring the deployment of emergency relief agencies like the NDRF and ITBP to ensure pilgrim safety and uninterrupted yatra.

Most rivers across Uttarakhand, including the Ganga in Haridwar, Alaknanda, Nandakini, Pindar, Bhagirathi, Kali, Gori, and Saryu, are flowing just a couple of meters below the danger mark. The Alaknanda river is particularly swollen from Badrinath up to Rudraprayag, and the rising water level of the Mandakini has submerged its banks, prompting authorities to issue loudspeaker alerts to nearby residents. In Uttarkashi's Syanachatti area, a lake formed by the overflowing Yamuna river has begun to inundate houses and hotels. Efforts are underway to clear the Yamunotri highway and provide essential supplies to villages in the Geeth area, which are facing food grain shortages due to prolonged road disruptions. Similar severe weather conditions are forecast for various districts in the coming days.