Over 50 families evacuated after landslide at Varunavat Parvat: Officials

Dehradun: At least 50-60 families living at the foothills of Varunavat Parvatin in Uttarkashi were evacuated following a landslide on Tuesday, the district administration said. 

Officials said they are monitoring the situation following the landslide, adding that no fresh landslide has occurred and the people who were moved to safer places have returned to their homes.

Uttarkashi district magistrate Dr Mehrban Singh Bisht said that as a precautionary measure, around 50–60 families living in the foothills of Varunavat Parvat were sent to safer places, even though debris of the landslide did not reach the house as a safety railing was installed during the treatment of the Varunavat.

“We had sent teams of various departments, including the state disaster response force, to the area to deal with any situation. No loss of life or property has been reported in the landslide incident. We have been continuously monitoring the situation. No fresh landslide has been reported,” he said.

In 2003, Varunavat Parvat in Uttarkashi district experienced a series of landslides that impacted around 3,000 people and completely destroyed 81 buildings. The Centre had then announced a relief package of Rs.282 crore to address the issues with Varunavat. Corrective measures were implemented to enhance the mountain’s stability, including slope treatment, crack sealing, and the development of a proper drainage system. However, in July 2015, panic resurfaced when a new crack, measuring 20 meters in length and nearly 15 cm in width, was discovered.

A report by the Public Works Department (PWD) on the incident, based on an inspection by the officials, stated that a three-metre-high iron railing of about 150 meters long on the hill in the Gofiyara area is completely safe.

The district administration also debunked the reports on social media that hundreds of vehicles are stuck in the debris.

DM Bisht said, “The situation in and around the district headquarters after the heavy rainfall last night is now normal....attempts should not be made to affect public life by spreading misleading information through social media.”

“Due to heavy rainfall, water from overflowing drains and debris came on the road, due to which some two-wheelers parked on the road in Gofiayara got stuck in the debris, which were subsequently safely removed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bisht said they have also constituted a technical committee for a detailed survey of the Varunavat.

“The committee is carrying out a field inspection and survey of the affected area. The committee has been ordered to submit a detailed report regarding the cause and effect of the landslide, the damage caused to the railing installed earlier for safety on the Varunavat hill, and the immediate and long-term measures for treatment, etc.

According to officials, the traffic was normal on the Uttarkashi-Ghansali-Tilwara road and Gangotri road, even though traffic was blocked due to debris at some places on these roads on Tuesday.

“The traffic was restored this morning after clearing the debris. On the other hand, the Tekhla-Mahidanda road has been damaged at one location and its reconstruction work is in progress. It will be restored soon,” the DM said.

A former official of the disaster management department of the Uttarakhand government said the Varunavat Parvat needs regular treatment and such incidents would continue to take place if it is not done.

“In the past few years, nothing has been done on its treatment. Such incidents aren’t shocking for me, given this fact. The government and district administration should focus on its regular treatment,” he said.