Avalanche Alert Issued For Three Districts Of Uttarakhand

Dehradun: With a fresh spell of rain and snowfall, an avalanche alert has been issued in the high-altitude areas of Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi, Chamoli, and Pithoragarh districts till today, officials said on Sunday.

According to an alert issued by the Defence Geo-Informatics Research Establishment (DGRE), the changing weather patterns in Uttarakhand over the past 72 hours has increased risk of avalanches. An 'orange' alert regarding avalanches has been issued for three sensitive districts namely Uttarkashi, Chamoli, and Pithoragarh. Following this, the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority has also issued an advisory, directing both the public and the administration to remain vigilant.

These three districts have been categorised under 'Danger Level-3,' which falls within the medium-to-high risk category, and the alert is in place for March 21 to March 22. Notably, this warning is important for areas where avalanche have been recorded in the past. The Meteorological Department has forecast rain and snowfall for the next few days.

Under such conditions, an imbalance often develops between the fresh layers of snow and compacted snow beneath, a primary cause of avalanches. Keeping this in mind, the DGRE has issued this alert to ensure that any potential hazard can be addressed proactively. The administration has been directed to maintain continuous surveillance on the snowfall situation, both during the day and at night.

Thus, specific instructions have been issued to intensify monitoring in areas where avalanches have been reported. In an advisory to the public, residents of snowy regions have been asked to refrain from unnecessary movement. They have been instructed not to venture out of their homes unless absolutely necessary. Also, if going outdoors becomes unavoidable, individuals have been advised to travel with the utmost caution. People have been asked not to allow excessive snow to accumulate on the roofs of their homes and cowsheds. In view of slippery conditions that may arise on snow-covered paths, the advisory has asked residents to exercise special precautions.

Residents of the higher-altitude regions have been urged to exercise more caution. The administration has advised people residing in areas above an altitude of 2,700 metres to temporarily relocate to lower-lying areas for the next one or two days, so as to mitigate potential risks. Moreover, trekkers, tourists, and locals have been strictly instructed to steer clear of avalanche zones—areas,

Similar avalanche warnings have been issued across other Himalayan states. For instance, 'orange' alerts have also been issued for two districts of Jammu & Kashmir, two districts of Ladakh, four districts of Himachal Pradesh, and two regions in Sikkim.

Driven by climate change and erratic weather patterns, there has been a noticeable increase in the frequency of avalanche incidents. In Uttarakhand, where tourism and trekking activities are undertaken on a large scale, adhering to such alerts becomes even more critical. The administration, too, appears to be actively engaged in this regard and is continuously monitoring the evolving situation.

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