Uttarakhand Braces for More Rain: Red Alert in 7 Districts, 107 Roads Blocked
Continuous rainfall over the past 24 hours across Uttarakhand has raised river water levels and triggered landslides in hilly areas, disrupting traffic on 107 routes across the state.
The Meteorological Department has issued a 'Red Alert' for very heavy rainfall in seven districts, including Dehradun, and an 'Orange Alert' for the remaining districts for Thursday (July 9, 2026). Amid warnings of heavy rainfall, the administration has been instructed to remain alert and exercise caution. Additionally, schools for Classes 1 to 12 remained closed in four districts, including Dehradun, due to the rain.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall was recorded at several locations across both the Garhwal and Kumaon regions over the last 24 hours. According to official data, Kashipur recorded the highest rainfall at 206 mm, followed by Jaspur (190 mm), Laksar (180 mm), Kotdwar (160 mm), Haridwar (132.9 mm), Roorkee (126.2 mm), Betalghat (118.5 mm), Tehri (115.2 mm), Roshanabad (115 mm), Nainital (107.5 mm), and Narendra Nagar (105 mm). Additional rainfall totals include Dhanaulti (100 mm), Devprayag (98.6 mm), Pauri (93 mm), Ranikhet (92.3 mm), Tehri (79.4 mm), Jolly Grant (76.4 mm), Dehradun (70.8 mm), Mussoorie (70.1 mm), Rishikesh (64.4 mm), Almora (63 mm), and Rudraprayag (50.4 mm). Moderate rainfall was recorded in other areas as well.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), landslides and rockfalls in several mountainous areas amid rainfall disrupted traffic on 107 routes across the state, including nine state highways and one Border Roads Organisation (BRO) road. An old, unoccupied house in the Tehri district's Kaddukhal area was damaged after being struck by a landslide on Wednesday (July 8, 2026) evening. However, the administration had already evacuated two restaurants and some shanties located in the potential danger zone as a precautionary measure.
Due to the rains, the River Ganga, Yamuna, and their tributaries are in spate, with water levels rising at several locations. Data from the SEOC, citing the Central Water Commission, shows rising water levels in the Alaknanda (at Srinagar), Pindar (at Karnaprayag), Ganga (at Devprayag and Rishikesh), Kali (at Dharchula), Saryu (at Pithoragarh), and Gauri (at Jauljibi) rivers. The rivers are currently flowing below the danger mark.
The Dehradun-based Meteorological Centre has issued a 'Red Alert' for seven districts — Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital, and Champawat — predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall at some places and extremely heavy rainfall in isolated areas. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and spells of intense to extremely intense rainfall are also anticipated. Forecasts indicate heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms with lightning, and intense showers in isolated areas across the remaining districts of the state. The Meteorological Centre has also issued a 'Red Alert' for the districts of Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital, and Champawat for Friday (July 10, 2026). Additionally, an 'Orange Alert' has been issued for isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall in the Dehradun, Pauri, and Bageshwar districts.
In view of the rainfall warning, the SEOC has instructed all District Magistrates to maintain vigilance in vulnerable areas, keep relief and rescue teams on alert, ensure coordination among all officials and departments involved in disaster management, monitor the condition of roads, and ensure prompt action in any emergency. Vinod Kumar Suman, the state's Disaster Management Secretary, has appealed to residents to avoid unnecessary travel during this period and to refrain from visiting mountainous and landslide-prone areas. He advised people to stay away from rivers, streams, and seasonal water channels, urging them to immediately contact the local administration or emergency services in case of any emergency and to rely only on information obtained from official sources.
