Doon deluged as fresh rain fury kills 18 in Uttarakhand, HP

DEHRADUN/MUSSOORIE: In one of the worst natural disasters to hit Doon valley in recent times, at least 13 people died in rain-related incidents and 16 others were missing as torrential downpour across Dehradun district on Monday night and early Tuesday washed away bridges and markets, and damaged key roads.

As another spell of heavy rains ravaged monsoon-battered Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, triggering fla-sh floods and landslides, at least 18 people were reportedly killed in the two states.

The worst-hit areas were Sahastradhara and Maldevta on Dehradun's outskirts. At least 70 villagers were evacuated from Sahastradhara, a popular picnic spot, by SDRF, while debris washed away the area's main market, carrying away with it several shops catering to tourists.

Landslides damaged the Sahastradhara-Karligad motor road at more than nine locations while the raging Song river swept away a portion of the road at Maldevta, another popular picnic spot, cutting off access to the area. Data from district disaster management office and IMD revealed that Sahastradhara received 264mm of rainfall in 24 hours till 8.30am on Tuesday, most of it around midnight, creating a cloudburst-like situation.

Heavy rain caused major damage to all roads leading to Mussoorie, cutting off access to the town. There were several landslides on the Mussoorie-Dehradun road, with sections washed away near Shiv Mandir and Kolhukhet.


13 bridges, 10 culverts damaged in Dehradun

The alternative route connecting Dehradun to Mussoorie via Kimadi was also blocked by landslides. Access to Mussoorie from Dhanaulti and Nainbagh was cut off too, officials said. As per estimates, nearly 3,000-4,000 tourists were stranded in Mussoorie. "Many were supposed to check out on Tuesday and were unable to leave due to roadblocks at various places," said Sanjay Aggarwal, president of the Mussoorie Hotels Association (MHA). He added that the association had announced complimentary one-night stay at their respective hotels for all stranded tourists.

In Dehradun, the main connecting bridge on Chakrata road near Uttaranchal University at Nanda ki Chowki got washed away, hampering traffic on the busy road. Similar damage was reported at Lal Tappar on the Dehradun-Haridwar highway. According to officials, 13 bridges and 10 culverts were reported damaged in Dehradun district.

Meanwhile, eight deaths were confirmed after a tractor trolley carrying around 15 people was swept away in Tons river in Vikasnagar block of Doon. Two passengers were rescued, while search for the remaining passengers was on. A 22-year-old youth was killed in a landslide at Jajret in Kalsi block, while two individuals were washed away at Bhagat Singh Colony and two others at Shikhar Falls between Dehradun and Mussoorie. A boulder fell on a hutment along the Jharipani-Rajpur trek route near Mussoorie, killing two persons.

Near DIT College on Mussoorie Road, a 20-year-old student was killed and another injured when the wall of their PG accommodation collapsed. In Pondha, SDRF rescued around 200 students stranded on a college campus. An NDRF team pulled to safety a man stranded on an electric pole in the middle of the Tons river in Premnagar, while SDRF rescued three people from a makeshift island in Sahaspur.