Police warn public amid rising water levels near water bodies due to heavy rainfall
PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
In view of the heavy rainfall since Saturday night, police on Sunday issued warnings at Ganga ghats and alerted people living along rivers and streams in various parts of Dehradun and surrounding hill districts. The police used loudhailers to advise residents near rivers and streams to shift to safer locations as water levels continued to rise.
The police actively alerted devotees at Ganga ghats in Rishikesh to avoid entering the middle of the river while bathing. The warnings aimed to prevent any untoward incidents during this period of intensified rainfall, as per the officials. They informed that the police also made loudspeaker announcements at Natraj Chowk in Rishikesh to inform Char Dham pilgrims about disruptions on the yatra route. Authorities requested pilgrims to stay at safe places until the routes reopen. The officials informed that police teams across all police station areas have been patrolling vulnerable spots near rivers and streams. They have been warning residents not to go near water bodies during the rain. In sensitive areas, police relocated people to safer locations as a precautionary measure.
They informed that the police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been maintaining strict vigilance in both the plains and the hill districts, acting on the alerts issued by the meteorological centre regarding heavy heavy rainfall. The officials said that following reports of waterlogging in the Khairi Khurd area near the Bangla Nala in Rishikesh, an SDRF team from the Dhalwala post was immediately dispatched to the site on Sunday.
The team found upon arrival that due to the water accumulation, several residents had taken shelter on the rooftops of their homes. The SDRF quickly assessed the situation and established contact with the affected individuals. The officials informed that water levels have since receded and the situation stabilised by the evening. The SDRF team continues to maintain surveillance in the area and is regularly communicating with local residents to ensure safety, the officials added.
