Uttarakhand News: 15-year-old boy dies, another missing after being swept away in Ganges

Two 15-year-old boys who wanted to bathe in the Ganges in Uttarakhand on Sunday morning were swept away by the current, police said. According to news agency PTI, one of the minor boys died and the other is still missing.

The incident was reported in Laxman Jhula area of ​​Pauri Garhwal district.

Due to persistent rains in the region, the Ganges is flooding.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team arrived at the spot and launched a search and rescue operation in the river, PTI reported, citing police.

“The SDRF has recovered the body of Ishaan Biljwan while the search for the other boy, Deepesh Rawat, is on,” officials told PTI.

The two boys had gone to bathe in the Ganges with four other friends, police said. The minor boys live in the Beas Bigha area near the accident site.

Ganges crosses warning mark in Rishikesh

The water level of the Ganges crossed the warning line in Rishikesh on Saturday as the state is experiencing heavy rains. The warning level for the river is 293 centimeters and currently stands at 293.15 centimeters. The danger level has been fixed at 294 centimeters.

In view of the rising level of the river, the district administration issued a warning and asked residents to take precautionary measures.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for several southern districts of Uttarakhand and an orange alert for the remaining areas.

Due to rainfall, vehicle traffic was already disrupted at several places along the Badrinath National Highway in Uttarakhand on Saturday.

The landslide blocked roads at Barrage Kunj, Sonala, Nandprayag and Lambagad, news agency ANI reported.

In Nainital district, roads are closed, including the Haldwani-Sitarganj road, due to incessant rains as water has overflowed in the Shernala area. Travellers have been advised to take alternative routes and avoid travelling until conditions improve.