DEHRADUN: An unexpected artificial lake has formed in the Yamuna River in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district, forcing the evacuation of about 150 residents from the surrounding Yamuna Valley to safer areas. The sudden blockage has raised fears of a possible disaster, keeping local communities on high alert.According to SDRF sources, the lake began forming near Syanchatti after heavy debris and water from the Garhgad nullah poured into the Yamuna. The obstruction disrupted the river’s natural flow, submerging the ground floors of several homes and hotels downstream. District authorities quickly moved around 150 people to safer locations.Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, fire service, irrigation department, and revenue department are involved in rescue and relief operations. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Barkot is personally overseeing the situation. Villages including Ojri, Pujargaon, Pali Gaon, Kharadi, Kuthnaur, and Syanchatti have been placed on high alert, creating fear among residents.Speaking to TNIE, SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi said, “Continuous rain-fed debris and large boulders from Kupragad, approximately 200 meters ahead of Syana Motor Bridge, are falling into the Yamuna River. This has obstructed the river’s course, leading to the formation of a massive lake. Currently, the lake’s water level is steadily rising and is nearing the Syanchatti Motor Bridge, a situation our teams are constantly monitoring.”A similar artificial lake had formed at this location before, and the Irrigation Department had manually breached it to release the water. The renewed rise in water levels has deepened concerns among residents and businesses, who fear a more severe incident. The main risk remains the blocked river flow and the rising water, which continues to threaten the motor bridge and downstream communities.
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