Uttarakhand on high alert as IMD warns of heavy rain

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed all concerned departments to remain on high alert on Wednesday, in view of continuous rainfall and an India Meteorological Department warning of heavy rain over the following 24 hours. NDTV reported that Dhami, reviewing the situation with disaster management secretary Vinod Kumar Suman, directed the State Disaster Response Force, the National Disaster Response Force, the district administration, police, fire services and the health department to coordinate closely and ensure prompt relief and rescue operations if needed. District magistrates were told to stay on round-the-clock alert and monitor river and stream water levels. The IMD issued an orange alert for heavy rain in Dehradun, Chamoli and Bageshwar districts and a yellow alert for the rest of the state, and schools up to Class 12 were ordered closed in Chamoli and Bageshwar on Thursday.