Cloudbursts and heavy rain overnight caused massive destruction in Uttarakhand’s capital Dehradun and many other parts of the state on Tuesday. Swollen rivers swept away houses, roads and bridges, leaving 15 people dead, 16 missing, and around 900 stranded in different areas.
According to the Uttarakhand Disaster Management Authority, Dehradun district alone reported 13 deaths, while Nainital and Pithoragarh recorded one each. Sixteen persons are still missing from various parts of the state capital. Three others were injured and are receiving treatment.
Rescue teams continued to search for the missing despite bad weather. NDRF, SDRF and fire brigade personnel rescued most of the stranded people, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said. Nearly 900 people were brought to safety from various places.
Rivers across the state swelled dangerously. The Tamsa River, also called the Tons River, flooded the Tapkeshwar Temple and submerged the giant Hanuman statue at its entrance up to the shoulders. The temple priest, Bipin Joshi, said he had not seen such high waters in 25 to 30 years. Fortunately, only a few devotees were present at the temple early in the morning, and all priests are safe.
In Dehradun district, roads caved in and several bridges were washed away. Flooded rivers cut off access, making evacuation extremely difficult. Videos on social media showed SDRF personnel pulling stranded people through fierce currents, while vehicles were seen stuck in raging waters.
Around 400–500 students were trapped at the Devbhoomi Institute campus in Paundha due to waterlogging. They were later rescued by SDRF, said Banshidhar Tiwari, Director General, Information.
In a dramatic rescue, a boy clinging to an electric pole above a raging river was saved by an SDRF jawan using a rope, risking his own life.
Areas like Sahastradhara, Maldevta, Santla Devi and Dalanwala were worst affected. Sahastradhara recorded 192 mm of rain, followed by Maldevta (141.5 mm), Hathi Barkala and Jolly Grant (92.5 mm each) and Kalsi (83.5 mm). Houses, shops, roads and bridges suffered heavy damage.
The Dehradun–Mussoorie road was breached at several spots. Police appealed to tourists and locals to stay indoors or in their hotels and homestays until the route is restored. In Tehri, waterlogging stranded people at Geeta Bhawan, who were later rescued.
In Nainital, a road was blocked by debris from a landslide triggered by heavy rain. People from Majhara village had to take shelter on the roadside after a landslide damaged their homes. They said some villagers were missing.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited rain-affected areas in Dehradun, including Maldevta, to review the situation. Dhami also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who assured him of all possible help from the Centre.
Heavy rains caused the Song River in Dehradun to swell, flooding nearby areas. It endangered a bridge in Maldevta, prompting the administration to respond quickly and work in coordination to restore normalcy.
In the evening, Dhami again reviewed the relief operations at the SEOC and told officials to speed up rescue and relief work. "The government stands with every victim; no effort will be spared to provide succour to the affected people. Search for the missing continues, and stranded people are being taken to safety. Relief camps are being set up with adequate supply of food, drinking water and medicines," he said.
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