State PCS - Uttarakhand (UKPSC)

• 01 Aug 2024

Kedarnath Cloudburst

Why in News?

Recently, A cloudburst in Kedarnath caused significant damage, leading to a sharp rise in the Mandakini River's water level in Sonprayag.

• Emergency services have been placed on high alert as authorities are concerned that between 150 to 200 pilgrims may be stranded in Kedarnath.

Key Points

• The cloudburst triggered a landslide along the Kedarnath walking path, damaging about 30 meters of the route, leading to its temporary closure for safety reasons.
  • Heavy rainfall in Haridwar caused widespread flooding. Areas like Bhupatwala, Haridwar, Naya Haridwar, Kankhal, and Jwalapur have been severely affected.
• The Regional Meteorological Center has issued a red alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall across seven districts in Uttarakhand.

The Mandakini River

• It is a tributary of the Alaknanda River in Uttarakhand.
• The river runs for approximately 81 kilometers between the Rudraprayag and Sonprayag areas and emerges from the Chorabari Glacier.
• The Mandakini merges with river Songanga at Sonprayag and flows past the Madhyamaheshwar temple at Ukhimath.
• At the end of its course it drains into the Alaknanda, which flows into the Ganges.