Heavy Cloudburst Leads to Flash Flood in Dehradun, Areas Submerged:
The retreating monsoon has unleashed fresh devastation across Uttarakhand, with Dehradun bearing the brunt of a series of cloudbursts and relentless rains that have left at least 17 people dead and 13 missing.
The downpour, which began late Monday, has caused widespread havoc—washing away roads, bridges, and homes while turning rivers into raging torrents. According to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), 17 lives have been lost to drowning or collapsing debris, and 13 remain unaccounted for. Two additional bodies were recovered from the Mauth river, though their link to the current disaster is still being verified.
The district administration has so far confirmed 13 deaths, three injuries, and 13 missing persons as of Tuesday evening.
Areas Worst Affected
Sahasradhara and Maldevta regions have been hit hardest. Rivers Rispana and Bindal are flowing above danger levels, flooding colonies, sweeping away shops and hotels, and burying homes under silt. In Karligaad (Sahasradhara), fast-moving debris destroyed eight shops and damaged hotels, leaving two people missing.
Tragedies were reported across the district:
- A student at Green Valley PG near DIT College died when a wall collapsed.
- Thirteen people were swept away in the Asan river; five bodies have been recovered.
- Four people remain missing near Shikhar Fall and Tapkeshwar.
- A labourer was killed in a Mussoorie landslide at Jharipani toll plaza.
- A scooter rider died when boulders struck the Kalsi-Chakrata road.
Connectivity Snapped
Infrastructure has taken a severe hit. The bridge near Nanda Ki Chowki on the Dehradun-Paonta highway was washed away, halting traffic. The Mussoorie-Dehradun road has also been blocked at several points by massive landslides.
Rescue Operations
Rescue teams are working round the clock. Around 200 students stranded by waterlogging at Devbhoomi Institute in Paundha were evacuated by SDRF. Teams from SDRF and NDRF have been deployed overnight with heavy machinery to clear debris, shift residents to safer areas, and continue the search for the missing.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inspected the worst-hit sites, including Maldevta and Kesarwala, and directed officials to speed up rescue and relief efforts, assuring families of full government support.
SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi said, “Our teams reached the affected areas overnight. People have been moved to safer locations, heavy machinery has been deployed, and the search for the missing is being carried out on a war footing.”
Reports confirm that 13 people were swept away when their tractor-trolley was caught in the surging Asan River, with five bodies recovered so far. Additionally, four individuals are feared missing after being swept away at Shikhar Fall in Bhagat Singh Colony, Tapkeshwar. In Mussoorie, a landslide at the Jharipani toll plaza claimed the life of one labourer and left another injured.
Amid the worsening conditions, Dehradun District Magistrate Savin Bansal has ordered the closure of all schools up to Class 12 and Anganwadi centres. SDRF and other relief teams continue to remain on high alert as rescue and relief efforts intensify.
