Rescue operations in Dehradun have stepped up following heavy rainfall and cloudbursts that have caused widespread destruction and loss of life. The district administration has now confirmed the recovery of more bodies, with the death toll rising to 18, while 15 people remain missing. Meanwhile, 168 individuals displaced from severely affected zones have been housed in hotels as relief work continues.
Our correspondent reports that affected villages such as Karligad, Seragaon, Majhda, and Kulhan have seen mass evacuations. District officials say 60 people from Karligad, 32 from Seragaon, and 76 from Kulhan have been lodged in temporary shelters at hotels. Authorities are battling difficult terrain, broken roads, and blockaded routes in carrying out rescue tasks.
The disaster has not only caused fatalities but also significant infrastructure damage. Roads have been washed away in several areas, bridges destroyed, and many rural roads remain inaccessible. Our correspondent adds that collapsed roads and widespread waterlogging continue to hamper access for rescue teams, making it difficult to reach some remote hamlets still cut off from relief supplies.
Aerial drops of relief materials have started in isolated localities including Phulait, Sarkhet, Chhamroli, Silla, and Kyara. Ration kits containing essentials such as rice, pulses, flour, sugar, salt, and biscuits are being airlifted to those who cannot be accessed by road. Local administration confirms that about 150 such kits have been distributed so far.
Authorities say this natural disaster has impacted large parts of the city and its outskirts. Shops, hotels, and business premises in Sahastradhara and other market areas were severely damaged. Houses were submerged, and several properties were destroyed in the deluge. The river Rispana, Connectors like the Dehradun-Mussoorie highway, and other arterial roads were badly affected.
Our correspondent reports that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has visited multiple impacted zones including Maldevta and Kesarwala, observing damage first-hand and directing officials to accelerate relief and rescue operations. He also emphasized restoring essential services such as water, electricity, and road connectivity as a priority.
Also, officials have begun investigations to identify the worst-affected families and assess losses in agriculture, livestock, and houses. District Magistrate Savin Bansal has stated that compensation proposals are being prepared. Our correspondent adds that the government has also committed to longer-term rehabilitation, including repairing infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and ensuring that displaced families return to safe dwellings.
The mounting toll and scale of destruction have drawn attention to the frequency of cloudbursts and extreme rainfall events during the monsoon in Uttarakhand. Experts warn that climate change may be increasing the intensity of such episodes, posing greater risks to vulnerable ecosystems and human settlements.
The Dehradun administration has set up control-rooms for coordination and issued advisories asking residents to avoid low-lying areas and river banks. Emergency response teams from SDRF and NDRF, along with state and local government units, remain deployed across the region.
As rescue operations continue, survivors and officials are managing both tragedy and uncertainty—uncertainty over missing loved ones, over when connectivity and normalcy will return, and how recovery will proceed in the long term.
