Uttarakhand Government issues alert following snowfall forecast

DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Department has written to District Magistrates asking them to alert people in their respective areas in view of the MeT department forecast of snowfall in the higher reaches.

In a letter to the DMs of 10 of the state's 13 districts, Deputy Secretary of the department Santosh Badoni has said there have been reports about snowfall in the higher reaches of the mountainous districts yesterday and the MeT department has also predicted similar weather conditions for today.

The MeT department forecast of snowfall is meant especially for areas located above 2,500 metres in Chamoli, Pithoragarh, Uttarkashi and Tehri districts.

As heavy snowfall in these districts may even cause avalanches, the local population must take precautions, the letter stated.

Barring the DMs of Haridwar, Udhamsingh Nagar and Nainital, the rest of the districts have been asked to direct locals to update themselves on the status of snowfall in their areas both during day and night and avoid going to high altitude areas.

If it is necessary to go to the hills they should keep an eye on the slide prone areas, the letter said.

Residents should also keep clearing snow periodically from their rooftops, the letter said.