Tuesday, 16 September 2025
Tuesday, 16 September 2025
Overnight cloudbursts and heavy rains battered Uttarakhand’s capital Dehradun and neighbouring areas, damaging roads, houses and shops, washing away a bridge, and triggering landslides that left several people stranded and some missing.
According to the district disaster management office, at least five people were swept away in different parts of the city, while more than 500 others were stranded.
Sahastradhara, Maldevta, Santla Devi and Dalanwala were among the worst-hit areas, with Sahastradhara receiving 192 mm of rain, followed by Maldevta (141.5 mm), Hathi Barkala and Jolly Grant (92.5 mm each) and Kalsi (83.5 mm).
Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said, “Two to three people are said to be missing in Dehradun, and a death that has been reported from Mussoorie is being verified.”
He added that 300 to 400 people have already been moved to safety, including 200 children trapped at the Devbhoomi Institute campus in Paundha who were rescued by SDRF teams.
Waterlogging in Tehri left several stranded at Geeta Bhawan, while landslides blocked a road in Nainital. Residents of Majhara village said a landslide hit their dwellings early morning and claimed some people were missing.
In Dehradun, the Tamsa river swelled rapidly, inundating the famous Tapkeshwar temple and submerging the gigantic Hanuman statue at its entrance up to the shoulders.
“I have not seen the river waters rise so high in the past 25 to 30 years,” said the temple priest, Bipin Joshi. Fortunately, only a few devotees were present at the time and the priests are safe.
The Song river also flooded nearby areas. Sub-Divisional Magistrate Hari Giri said, “The water level is rising, and the flow is very strong right now. No deaths have been reported so far. Tourists were staying in the hotels.”
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Maldevta, Kesarwala and other rain-affected areas to review the situation, accompanied by local MLAs and senior officials.
“All rivers are in spate following heavy rains. Roads have been breached at 25 to 30 places. Approach roads are cut off. Houses and government properties have been damaged. Normal life is severely affected. Rescue teams are working on a war footing to restore normalcy,” he told reporters.
“The state government stands with every affected family. The administration is already on alert mode, and the NDRF, SDRF, police and local administration are constantly active,” he added. In a post on X, he said he was “constantly in touch with the local administration” and was personally monitoring rescue efforts.
The Chief Minister’s Office said Dhami has briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who assured all possible help and reiterated that the Union government stands firmly with the people of Uttarakhand in this crisis.
Meanwhile, several parts of Dehradun, including the IT Park area, reported severe waterlogging. Hrithik Sharma, a local, said, “I have been stranded here since 5:30 am. The car here has been stuck since last night and is submerged. Water has entered offices and basements.”
During his visit, Dhami directed officials to expedite relief and rescue operations, open blocked routes at the earliest, and ensure immediate restoration of drinking water and electricity supplies.
