A scary and unpredictable cloudburst hit Dehradun on Tuesday and caused massive flash floods to sweep the entire capital city. Several roads and bridges were damaged, including the bridge near Fun Valley and Uttrakhand’s Dental College on the national highway between Dehradun and Haridwar. The flood wreaked havoc within minutes and stranded locals. The city’s authority has also been on high alert since then. The Sahastradhara area has been severely damaged, and the Chief Minister also shared concern for the loss of properties there.
He posted on X that the rescue team, including the State Disaster Response Force and the District Administration, had reached the spot and were engaged in the relief and rescue work. He further added that he was looking into the situation personally and wishes for relief and safety of every person. The Sahastradhara river, a major tourist attraction in Dehradun, overflowed due to heavy rain, and the debris from the river struck the main market, damaging the commercial properties.
The Tamsa River, situated in the premises of the Tapkeswar Mahadev temple, also flooded, submerging the entire temple inside it. Reaching up to the Hanuman statue. Though the sanctum sanctorum remained safe, water entered the courtyard, and as per the temple priest Acharya Bipin Joshi, the flooding began early in the morning. Locals report that such a situation has not occurred in a long time and has caused several losses. Authorities have also warned people not to go near the rivers.
The death toll has risen to 30, and over 10 people are still missing. Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have experienced tumultuous rainfall in the past weeks, but the havoc in Dehradun was beyond expectations and raises questions of urban development in the region.
