Varanasi to Uttarkashi: Flood-Hit Districts Order School Closures

Schools have been closed in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar in response to extreme monsoon weather and flash floods, but there are no confirmed postponements for major exams between August 8 and 16, though local disruptions remain possible. Floods across northern India have prompted widespread school closures in multiple states, raising safety concerns and potentially affecting academic schedules.

In Uttarakhand, a devastating cloudburst in Uttarkashi’s Dharali region on August 5 triggered flash floods, killing at least four people and leaving over 100 missing. The incident led to the administration ordering the closure of all schools and Anganwadi centres in Uttarkashi, Pauri Garhwal, Chamoli, and Almora districts. The closures, initiated amid red-alert warnings from the IMD, are expected through August 10 as authorities mobilise relief and rescue operations.

Meanwhile, in Dehradun, an orange alert for heavy rain led to one-day school closures on August 4 as a precaution.

In Uttar Pradesh, the city of Varanasi saw severe flooding and Ganga river surges, prompting authorities to shut all schools up to Class 12 on August 5 and 6. Boat services on the Ganga were suspended and residents faced knee-deep waterlogged streets. Similar school closures were enforced in Kanpur on August 5, ahead of forecasts of heavy rains.

In Bhojpur district, Bihar, persistent flooding led to the closure of 71 flood-hit schools between August 5 and 9, affecting over 70 institutions in Shahpur, Barhara, and Koilwar blocks. Local teachers have been reassigned to nearby schools to maintain learning continuity.

Although major exams scheduled between August 8 and 16—such as CUET-UG, CUET-PG counselling, or UPSC Mains (starting August 22)—do not fall within this window, students and parents in the above districts are advised to remain alert for district-level exam disruptions or rescheduling, should emergency conditions persist.