Uttarakhand: Huge Landslide near China border in Pithoragarh; NH Closed

The Dharchula-Tawaghat road in Uttarakhand will remain closed until the debris removal works are completed at the site of the landslide.

Pithoragarh: In the Pithoragarh border district of Uttarakhand, a big landslide occurred on Friday on the Dharchula-Tawaghat road. The landslide occurred on a stretch of the road where work was going on.

Because of the landslide, the authorities have closed the road. A video is in circulation, showing the dust rising after the landslide at the affected place.

As per reports, work was taken up on the National Highway in the Tawaghat area, when suddenly a large part of the hill cracked. It is clearly visible in the video how a major chunk of the hill separated and fell into the river in a few seconds with a cloud of dust rising all around.

Following the incident, the local administration has appealed to the people to travel through alternative routes. BRO (Border Road Organisation) is trying to reopen the highway. SDM Manjeet Negi and SP Pithoragarh Rekha Yadav have also confirmed the video of the landslide. They said that it may take some time for the route to reopen.

Giving more information about this, Pithoragarh District Magistrate Vinod Giri Goswami said that a big landslide had occurred near Tawaghat. The road has been closed since the landslide. It is a matter of relief that there has been no loss of life or property in this incident. Road widening work is going on in Tawaghat. That is why such incidents are happening there sometimes.

Due to the landslide, many vehicles are stuck on both sides. At the time when this landslide happened, the soldiers and the general public standing there were capturing videos of it. The voices of the people are also heard in the pictures, in which they are heard saying that such a sight is very scary.

However, the work of opening the road is going on continuously. Along with the National Highways Authority, BRO soldiers are also engaged in getting the road opened.

This route of Pithoragarh and Dharchula will remain closed until the authorities give clearance. SDM Manjeet Negi and SP Pithoragarh Rekha Yadav said that the work of opening the route is continuously going on.