Dehradun floods: Cloudburst triggers flash floods, houses and roads destroyed; IMD warns of more heavy rain

A severe cloudburst hit Uttarakhand's Dehradun early Tuesday morning, resulting in widespread destruction as continuous rains lashed the area. The heavy rain triggered by a cloudburst has flooded several houses, roads, cars, and shops in multiple areas of the city, particularly along the banks of the swollen Tamsa River.

Following the cloudburst, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert for Dehradun and Tehri Garhwal, warning of extremely heavy rainfall until 9 AM today. The IMD also predicted heavy rainfall of over 15 mm per hour, along with thunderstorms and gusty winds of speeds up to 87 km/h. In addition, severe weather conditions are likely to persist through the day, raising concerns of more damage and disruption.

In response to the destruction, the Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami tweets, "Some shops have been damaged due to heavy rains in Sahastradhara, Dehradun, late last night. District administration, SDRF, and police have reached the spot and are engaged in relief and rescue operations. I am constantly in touch with the local administration in this regard and am personally monitoring the situation".

Tamsa River overflowing

Several visuals of the Dehradun cloudburst have surfaced on social media showing the Tamsa River overflowing and triggering heavy flooding in the region. Among the worst-hit sites is the Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple, a revered shrine now submerged under water.

Over the situation, temple priest Acharya Bipin Joshi said the river’s flow began swelling around 5 a.m., eventually inundating the entire temple complex. Speaking to news agency ANI, Joshi requested people to stay away from rivers amid the situation. Meanwhile, he also confirmed to the news agency of no casualties and the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was also safe. However, the surrounding areas have suffered substantial loss.

“This kind of situation had not taken place in a very long time... Losses have been incurred at various places... People should avoid going near rivers at this time... The sanctum sanctorum of the temple is safe... No human loss has been reported as of now,” he said.

Meanwhile, the district administration has announced a holiday for all schools in Dehradun, urging residents to stay alert and avoid unnecessary travel due to the risk of flooding and landslides.

PM Modi and HM Amit Shah speak to Uttarakhand CM Dhami

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Shri Shah spoke with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami over the phone to assess the situation caused by heavy rain in Uttarakhand. Both leaders assured full support to the state and stated that the central government stands firmly with the state in this time of crisis.

The IMD has forecast continued rainfall in Dehradun, Bageshwar, and Pithoragarh, while other districts may witness light to moderate showers until September 20. The weather office also warned of more rain accompanied by localised thunderstorms and gusty winds between September 17 and 20.

Floods hit Dehradun’s Sahastradhara, two missing

Torrential rain also triggered flooding in Dehradun’s Sahastradhara area, damaging roads and prompting the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to launch rescue operations. Over 100 people, including students of Devbhoomi Institute, were evacuated, while two individuals remain missing after the deluge.