Monsoon Slackens in Uttarakhand, Heavy Rain Alert for 5 Districts, Yamunotri Highway Blocked by Landslide Disrupts Char Dham Pilgrims

Dehradun: Monsoon activity in Uttarakhand has weakened to intermittent spells this week. Light drizzle in several parts of Dehradun and Nainital on Sunday brought some relief from humidity in the plains, but temperatures did not drop much. The hills saw a different pattern, with cold winds in Mussoorie pulling temperatures down and giving tourists a cooler feel.

According to the Meteorological Centre, Dehradun, the state recorded 24 percent less rainfall than normal in the last 24 hours. Against a normal of 12.6 mm, only 9.5 mm was logged. Day temperatures also remained 1 to 2 degrees Celsius above normal. In Dehradun city, high moisture levels meant residents continued to feel muggy despite the showers.

The weather department has issued alerts for Monday, July 6, across five districts. Bageshwar is under an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rain, while Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Champawat and Nainital are under a yellow alert for the likelihood of heavy rainfall. Met Director Dr. C.S. Tomar said light to moderate rain is likely in several other parts of the state on Monday as well, with isolated spells of thunder and showers.

The rain has already affected the Char Dham Yatra. Early Sunday, the Yamunotri highway beyond Hanuman Chatti was blocked after a landslide sent debris and boulders onto the road. Traffic came to a standstill until teams from the NHAI and BRO cleared the stretch in about four hours. The road was reopened around 11 a.m., but both sides saw long queues of vehicles and pilgrims heading to Yamunotri Dham had to wait for hours.

Traffic was also briefly disrupted near Syana Chatti due to another slide. While the National Highway team removed the debris and restored movement, the area remains vulnerable because of continuous stonefall from the hillside. Locals said Syana Chatti sees repeated landslides during monsoon, leading to frequent closures of the Yamunotri highway. That has been causing hardship not just for residents but also for devotees traveling to the shrine.

The Met department has advised travelers and residents in the hills to avoid riverbanks and landslide-prone stretches. The administration said police and highway staff have been deployed at sensitive points to respond quickly if rainfall intensifies in the coming days.

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Kandali