Mayhem in Uttarakhand, rain puts Char Dham yatra on hold

DEHRADUN: A stream of mud and debris hit some cities, a large, two-storey building collapsed into a riverbed and large boulders pummelled roads and settlements, at times narrowly missing commuters while at others burying families inside their homes, as heavy rain wreaked havoc in Uttarakhand overnight, officials said on Monday

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The spell of rain - Rishikesh recorded a staggering 420mm of rain in 24 hours (close to twice the average of what, for instance, Delhi receives through the entire month of August) - brought back painful memories of the 2013 floods that killed thousands of people.

In the last 24 hours, at least 17 people were feared dead or missing in different districts and the government suspended the Char Dham two days highways to Badrinath, Kedarnath and Gangotri shrines were damaged at several places.