Bridge washed away, Yamunotri route disrupted after heavy rains in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi

Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) [India], July 7 (ANI): A bridge at Ojri on the national highway leading to Yamunotri in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district was washed away due to heavy rainfall in the region on Monday, officials said.
The incident, which occurred on Monday morning, has disrupted road connectivity to Yamunotri, Uttarkashi Police said, adding that restoration work is underway.
Meanwhile, heavy rains lashed parts of Rudraprayag district on Monday morning.
Earlier, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued an alert on Sunday for heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand for the next four days. Heavy rainfall is expected in districts including Uttarkashi, Tehri, Bageshwar, Dehradun, and Rudraprayag.
Heavy rainfall in Rudraprayag and adjacent areas of Uttarakhand has increased the water flow in the Alaknanda River. However, even after the heavy rainfall and increased water flow, the river is still flowing below the danger mark.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted an aerial survey of the disaster-affected Silai Band and Ojri Band stretches along the Yamunotri road in Uttarkashi district on Sunday. The recent heavy rains had caused sections of the national highway to be washed away, disrupting connectivity to the pilgrimage site.
Last week, the Yamunotri National Highway was blocked at two points between Silai Band and Ojri, severely affecting local travel and pilgrimage traffic. According to Uttarkashi Police, "The Yamunotri National Highway is blocked at two places between Silai Band and Ojri due to some parts of the highway being washed out. It may take time to restore the route."
Rudraprayag Police also shared the rain warning on X, stating, "The Geological Survey Department of the Government of India has issued a warning on July 7, 2025, for a high likelihood of landslides in Tehri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli districts. Additionally, the India Meteorological Department has indicated the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall in Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag districts." (ANI)