Uttarakhand floods: Warnings ignored

News X: It now emerges that the Meteorological dept had issued an alert to the DM Of Rudraprayag, and the ITBP alerts a day before the rains. On June 15, the Met had warned that heavy rains were expected during the next 72 hours and the yatris should be asked to go back to safer places. It had also warned that during the next 72 hours very heavy rains were likely, especially on June 17. Another alert by the Met the DM of Rudraprayag and to the State Chief Secretary on June 16 that is hours before the disaster was to ask the Char Dham yatris to postpone yatra by 4 days. And that the yatris must get back to safer places. It warned heavy rainfall was likely during next 36 hours. But someone responsible to take calls just snoozed over the warning.