Uttarakhand Cloudburst: Ganga rises, touches Shiva idol at Parmarth Niketan Ashram
Rishikesh (Uttarakhand) [India], August 6 (ANI): Continuous heavy rainfall has caused the water level of the River Ganga to rise significantly at Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh, with water seen touching the idol of Lord Shiva at the ashram's Aarti Sthal.
An employee at Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Pankaj Kumar Dwivedi, said that the cloudburst in Uttarkashi on Tuesday led to the water level rising above the danger mark.
He added that for safety reasons, people are not allowed near the riverbanks and all entrances to the ghats have been locked. Speaking to ANI, Pankaj Kumar Dwivedi said, "Right now, the water level of the Ganga is rising all over Parmarth, and even the Shiva idol is starting to sink.
Yesterday's accident in Uttarkashi has caused the water level here to go well above the danger mark. We need to be very careful and help others as much as possible. It's a big tragedy."
"Because of this, the water level has risen a lot in Uttarkashi. We have also ordered that no one is allowed to go near the banks of the Ganges. All the entrances to the ghats have been locked to keep people safe," he added.
Earlier in the day, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a disaster management meeting at the State Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to assess the cloudburst and flash flood in Uttarkashi's Dharali.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami over the phone and inquired about the recent natural disaster in the Dharali area of Uttarkashi district.
The Prime Minister also took stock of the updated status of relief and rescue operations, an official release said. Chief Minister Dhami told the Prime Minister that the state government is engaged in relief and rescue operations with full readiness.
Due to continuous heavy rains, difficulties have arisen in some areas, but all concerned agencies are working in coordination to provide quick assistance to the affected people. (ANI)