- Sputnik International, 1920
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Blocked Highways, Broken Bridges Due to Heavy Rains Wreak Havoc in India’s Uttarakhand - Video

© REUTERS / STRINGERRescue workers search for survivors after a landslide caused by heavy rains at Rulehar village in the Kangra district of the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, India, July 13, 2021.
Rescue workers search for survivors after a landslide caused by heavy rains at Rulehar village in the Kangra district of the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, India, July 13, 2021.  - Sputnik International, 1920, 28.08.2021
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The ongoing monsoon season in India has devastated the country, as incidents of floods, landslides, and cloudbursts in several states have caused death, the destruction of property and highways, and mass evacuations. Uttarakhand has been hit by heavy rainfall causing severe damage in the Dehradun, Nainital, Pauri, Tauri, and Rishikesh areas.
Due to incessant rainfall in India's Uttarakhand state, two national highways - the Rishikesh-Gangotri (NH 98), and Rishikesh-Badrinath (NH 58) - have been blocked after landslides struck the roadways on Saturday causing major destruction of property and traffic disruption.
In videos circulating on the internet, people are seen risking their lives while travelling as highways are blocked with boulders and rubbles all around.
Iva Ashish Srivastava, Tehri Garhwal District Magistrate told the media: "NH 58 and 94 are closed, the situation is bad in the alternate routes too. Only one route is functional for now".
"Efforts are underway to clear the routes. The officers concerned are present at the spot and making continuous efforts", he added.
On Friday, a bridge connecting the cities of Dehradun and Rishikesh collapsed into the Jakhan River near Ranipokhari village due to heavy rains. 
In a viral video, two trucks and some small vehicles can be seen stranded on the debris amid the heavy flow of the river after the highway collapsed.  
Water levels have also increased in rivers causing flooding in the nearby villages.
A team of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rescued 20-30 villagers and helped them cross a raging river in Tauli Bhud of Vikasnagar on Friday.
Very heavy downpour has caused waterlogging in several parts of the state, damaging roads and other infrastructure.
Uttarakhand state Chief Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted an on-site inspection of Sahastradhara-Maldevta road which had caved in following a rise in the water level of the river.
The Indian Meteorological Department has warned of minor to medium landslides and rockfalls in vulnerable hilly areas due to heavy rainfall that has been predicted to be continued on Saturday and Sunday.
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