Dehradun, Uttarakhand – The retreating monsoon has unleashed catastrophic Dehradun floods landslides across Uttarakhand, claiming at least 17 lives and leaving 13 people missing in the state capital. The devastating natural disaster began Monday night when a series of cloudbursts triggered torrential rainfall, causing widespread destruction that has turned rivers into raging torrents and swept away infrastructure across the region.
The Dehradun floods landslides have created a critical situation requiring immediate emergency response from state and national disaster management agencies. According to State Disaster Response Force officials, the death toll continues to mount as rescue operations struggle against challenging weather conditions and unstable terrain throughout the affected areas.
Sahasradhara and Maldevta Bear Brunt of Disaster
The most severely affected areas in the Dehradun floods landslides include Sahasradhara and Maldevta regions, where rivers like Rispana and Bindal are flowing dangerously above danger levels. These swollen waterways have submerged several residential colonies, inundating houses with debris and completely washing away numerous shops and hotels in their destructive path.
The Dehradun floods landslides have particularly devastated the Sahastradhara Karligaad area, where fast-flowing mud and debris swept away eight commercial establishments and damaged multiple hotels, leaving two people missing. The force of the water and debris has been so intense that entire structures have been completely obliterated from their foundations.
Educational Institutions and Infrastructure Severely Impacted
Among the casualties from the Dehradun floods landslides was a student at Green Valley PG near DIT College, who died when a wall collapsed due to the intense pressure from floodwaters. The State Disaster Response Force later recovered the victim’s body from the debris, highlighting the dangerous conditions facing educational institutions in the affected areas.
Approximately 200 students were trapped by severe waterlogging at the Devbhoomi Institute campus in Paundha, Dehradun, requiring immediate SDRF intervention. The Dehradun floods landslides have forced authorities to declare holidays for all schools up to Class 12 and Anganwadi centers to ensure student safety during this critical period.
Asan River Tragedy Claims Multiple Lives
The most devastating single incident in the Dehradun floods landslides occurred when 13 people were swept away after their tractor-trolley was caught in the swollen Asan River. Rescue teams have successfully recovered five bodies from the turbulent waters, while search operations continue for the remaining eight missing individuals trapped by the powerful current.
Additional casualties from the Dehradun floods landslides include four individuals feared to have been swept away in Shikhar Fall at Bhagat Singh Colony, Tapkeshwar. The disaster has also claimed lives in Mussoorie, where one laborer died and another sustained injuries in a landslide at the Jharipani toll plaza during the night.
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Transportation Networks Completely Disrupted
The Dehradun floods landslides have severely impacted regional connectivity, with the bridge near Nanda ki Chowki on the Dehradun-Paonta National Highway completely washed away, bringing all traffic movement to a halt. The critical Mussoorie-Dehradun road remains closed at multiple points due to extensive landslides blocking passage for both emergency and civilian vehicles.
Road infrastructure damage from the Dehradun floods landslides extends beyond major highways, with another fatality occurring when a scooter rider was killed by falling rocks on the Kalsi-Chakrata motor road. These transportation disruptions are significantly hampering rescue and relief efforts across the affected regions.
Chief Minister Leads Emergency Response
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted ground inspections of areas most affected by the Dehradun floods landslides, including Maldevta and Kesarwala regions. He has directed officials to expedite all relief and rescue operations while assuring affected families of complete government support during this challenging period.
The Dehradun floods landslides prompted immediate communication between state and central leadership, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaking directly with Chief Minister Dhami to receive detailed situation reports and coordinate emergency response efforts.
Extensive Infrastructure and Property Damage
The Dehradun floods landslides have caused massive property damage throughout the district, including destruction of 13 bridges, 10 culverts, 2 houses, 31 walls, 21 roads, 7 drinking water schemes, and 24 retaining walls. This extensive infrastructure damage will require significant reconstruction efforts and financial resources for complete restoration.
SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi confirmed that rescue teams reached affected spots overnight, shifting residents to safer locations while deploying heavy machinery including JCBs for relief operations. The search for missing individuals continues on a war footing as the Dehradun floods landslides recovery efforts intensify across all affected areas.
