The mountainous districts of Uttarakhand have been experiencing relentless, heavy rainfall since Saturday night, leading to an alarming rise in the water levels of major rivers. The Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers, which pass through the Badrinath and Kedarnath regions, are now flowing above the danger mark. SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi stated, “Police in both districts are appealing to people living on riverbanks to move to safer locations. SDRF units are continuously monitoring potential high-risk areas and have urged pilgrims and others to refrain from approaching the riverbanks.”Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has taken immediate cognisance of the incident, expressing concern via a tweet about the missing labourers.Vinod Kumar Suman, Secretary of Disaster Management, shed light on the arduous rescue efforts, explaining, “Police and Army personnel from nearby areas have initiated rescue operations. State and national disaster response teams have been deployed. Currently, 15 personnel are actively engaged, with approximately 45 more on the way. Due to the challenging terrain, heavy machinery cannot reach the site, and teams are conducting rescues manually. The labourers are either trapped in debris, stuck on rocks, or have been swept away into the river. Efforts to locate them are ongoing,” he said.
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