Uttarakhand Issues Orange Alert for Medium-Level Avalanche Risk
Uttarakhand faces fresh danger after heavy rain and snow.
The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) issued an orange alert on Wednesday. It warns of medium-level avalanche risk in high-altitude areas. The alert covers the next 24 hours.
Overnight snowfall blocked key routes. Heavy snow closed the Gangotri Highway in Uttarkashi district. Later, disaster teams and the Border Roads Organisation cleared the path.
Officials reopened the Gangotri Highway up to Sukki Top. Vehicles with snow chains can now proceed toward Gangotri. Similarly, workers cleared snow on the Yamunotri Highway up to Jan Ki Chatti. Both vital routes now carry traffic again.
The orange alert runs from 5:30 pm Wednesday to 5:30 pm Thursday. It applies to areas above 2,800 metres in Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi districts. Vulnerable spots include Purola, Barkot, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Sonprayag, and nearby areas.
Authorities urge residents and travellers to stay extremely cautious. Snow slides remain a real threat.
Uttarkashi, Chamoli, and Rudraprayag districts fall under Category-3 (orange) alert. The Defence Geo-Informatics Research Establishment (DGRE) reports deep, unstable snow. This accumulation raises the risk of natural avalanches reaching valley floors.
Pithoragarh sits in yellow (Category-2) with unstable slopes and small avalanche chances. Bageshwar remains in green (Category-1) where conditions stay mostly stable.
Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman directed district magistrates to keep close watch. All departments stay vigilant in sensitive zones.
Uttarakhand recorded massive rainfall in the last 24 hours. The state received 20.4 mm—a whopping 1,348% above normal. Bageshwar topped with 36.2 mm, followed by Nainital (32.4 mm) and Udham Singh Nagar (19.1 mm).
Higher areas saw fresh snowfall too. Shama and Munsiyari got 5 cm each. Jan Ki Chatti and Surkanda Ji recorded 3.5 cm.
Temperatures dropped sharply across the state. Isolated thunderstorms and hail hit several places. Fog may appear in valleys this week.
IMD predicts light to moderate rain and snow in hilly districts. Minimum temperatures will fall further by 3–5°C in plains and 1–2°C in hills over the next two days.
No cold wave warning exists yet. However, travellers should avoid high-risk zones right now.
Stay safe. Check updates before heading to the hills.