2 missing, shops washed away as heavy rain lashes Dehradun
Disasters linked to heavy rain have killed hundreds across the Himalayan regions as they recorded the wettest August since 2001
Two people were missing, and some shops were washed away after a cloudburst triggered heavy rainfall in Dehradun’s Sahastradhara area in the early hours of Tuesday, prompting the authorities to activate all departments linked to the Incident Response System (IRS). A portion of the road was washed out in Maldevta; the Dehradun-Mussoorie road was among the routes hit, and rising water levels were reported from across the city.
District magistrate Savin Bansal said that rescuers have been dispatched. “Teams from the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, and Public Works Department (PWD) are engaged in the rescue operation,” he said. “Some shops were washed away, and two people are missing. Search efforts are underway.”
Bansal cited a warning from the weather office and said that the district administration is on alert. “All departments linked to the IRS have been activated,” he said, referring to the standardised disaster management mechanism.
Senior police superintendent Ajai Singh said he was monitoring the situation and issuing directions for prompt rescue and relief operations. “Several routes, including the Dehradun-Mussoorie road, have been hit due to rising water levels and landslides. Police and civic agencies are working to clear them.”
He said a culvert in the Laltappar area was partially damaged on the Dehradun–Haridwar National Highway. “Police have completely restricted traffic movement on this route, and vehicles are being diverted via Bhaniyawala and Nepali Farm,” he said.
He said waterlogging was reported from different parts of the city. “We appeal to people to stay away from rivers and streams as water levels are rising rapidly.”
Heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand means many rivers will be flooded, and impact cities and towns downstream, as many of them originate in the Himalayan state.
Disasters linked to heavy rain have killed hundreds across the Himalayan regions as they recorded the wettest August since 2001. India Meteorological Department (IMD) anticipated good, above-normal rainfall this month and warned of episodic cloudbursts, mudslides, and landslides. It asked the authorities to be prepared.
The warning came amid large-scale devastation across Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab, where incessant rainfall triggered landslides, flash floods, road cave-ins, and infrastructure collapse last month.
The disasters included the Dharali village flood (Uttarakhand), and cloudbursts and flooding in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Most of India was expected to receive normal to above-normal rainfall in September, except northeastern and eastern regions, southern peninsular areas, and northernmost districts, where below-normal precipitation was expected.
In August, northwest India recorded 265 millimetres of rain, the highest since 2001 and the 13th highest since 1901. The southern peninsula logged its third-highest August rainfall since 2001.
On August 20, Jammu’s Udhampur district recorded 630 millimetres of rain on August 27.
Five weather disturbances intensified rain over the Himalayan states and northwestern plains during August, creating active to vigorous monsoon conditions. Three such interactions in August directly contributed to the deadly incidents across the region.
