RISHIKESH/HARIDWAR/SHIMLA: The flood situation in Uttarakhand is turning increasingly grim as the swollen Ganga continues to rise above the danger mark, inundating bathing ghats in Rishikesh and Haridwar and forcing authorities to evacuate people living along vulnerable stretches of the river.
The Uttarakhand Police has sounded an alert in both pilgrimage towns, warning residents and visitors not to venture near the ghats or riverbanks.
People living along vulnerable stretches from Rishikesh to Haridwar have been evacuated as a precaution, while police personnel maintain a close vigil on both banks of the river.
The rising Ganga has submerged several bathing ghats, bringing pilgrimage activity to a halt and transforming the normally crowded riverfront into a high-risk zone.
Meanwhile, the Badrinath–Kedarnath National Highway-7 has been blocked near Bhallegaon, close to Bagwan, between Devprayag and Kirtinagar, after rocks and debris fell onto the road. Efforts are underway to clear the highway, but continuing rain and unstable slopes remain a major concern.
Flood threat moves downstream
The swelling Ganga is also raising alarm downstream, with rising water levels affecting Prayagraj and several areas of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Bathing ghats in several downstream towns have been inundated as rivers continue to receive heavy inflows.
The persistent rain of the past three days has created a flood-like situation across large parts of North India, with Uttarakhand facing a particularly serious threat because of swollen rivers, landslides and disrupted road connectivity.
The Tons River in Tehri district is also flowing at a high level following heavy rain. Authorities have so far reported no major damage from the river.
Chandigarh struggles with urban flooding
The rain fury has also exposed the vulnerability of Chandigarh's drainage system.
Several sectors, including Sector 36 and 37, have witnessed severe waterlogging, with roads submerged under waist-deep water at some locations and traffic movement brought to a standstill.
Residents have posted videos showing roads transformed into virtual lakes, with some even likening the flooded stretches to the emergence of another Sukhna Lake.
The scale of waterlogging has once again raised questions over the city's storm-water drainage capacity in the face of increasingly intense rainfall.
Himachal escapes the worst—for now
Himachal Pradesh has received persistent rain, with more than 300 roads blocked across the state. However, unlike the devastating monsoons of 2023 and 2024, the state has so far not witnessed a comparable fury.
No loss of life has been reported in the latest spell so far.
The contrast is stark. While Uttarakhand is battling a swollen Ganga, landslides and blocked highways, and Chandigarh is struggling under severe urban flooding, Himachal Pradesh has so far remained relatively insulated from the worst of the current rain episode.
But with the monsoon remaining active, the situation remains fluid.
From the Himalayan catchments to the plains, the rising rivers are sending an unmistakable warning: the next few days could be critical for the entire North Indian river system.
