Fresh rains leave trail of destruction in Uttarakhand, Himachal; 18 dead

Dehradun/Shimla: Heavy overnight rainfall unleashed fresh devastation across the Himalayan states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, leaving at least 18 people dead, many missing, and hundreds stranded as swollen rivers, landslides and flash floods battered already fragile terrains. The region, which has been reeling under successive natural calamities this monsoon, witnessed further destruction as villages, roads and places of worship were inundated.

In Uttarakhand, at least 15 lives were lost and 16 people remain untraced after cloudbursts and intense showers battered parts of Dehradun, Nainital and Pithoragarh districts. The Uttarakhand Disaster Management Authority confirmed that Dehradun alone accounted for 13 fatalities, while one death each was reported in Nainital and Pithoragarh.

Three others sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment, officials said. Rescue workers from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and fire services evacuated more than 900 people who had been stranded in remote and waterlogged areas.

“Teams are continuing search operations despite difficult conditions,” the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) stated, adding that major rivers were flowing well above danger levels.

One of the most striking images of the devastation emerged from Dehradun, where the Tons River flooded the iconic Tapkeshwar Temple. The rising waters submerged the temple’s towering Hanuman statue up to its shoulders. “I have not witnessed the river swell this high in nearly three decades,” said temple priest Bipin Joshi. Fortunately, only a few devotees were present at the site in the early morning, and the resident priests escaped unharmed.

Across Dehradun district, multiple bridges collapsed and highways caved in. Videos circulated online showed rescuers wading through torrents to guide people across, while vehicles lay trapped in the gushing waters.

Among the dramatic rescues was that of nearly 500 students marooned at the Devbhoomi Institute in Paundha, who were evacuated safely by SDRF personnel. Another widely shared video captured an officer braving floodwaters with a rope to save a boy clinging to an electric pole.

Rain gauges recorded staggering numbers: Sahastradhara logged 192 mm, Maldevta 141.5 mm, while Hathi Barkala, Jolly Grant and Kalsi each measured upwards of 80 mm. Sahastradhara, Maldevta, Santla Devi and Dalanwala were the worst hit.

The Dehradun–Mussoorie highway suffered multiple breaches, prompting police to urge tourists to remain sheltered in hotels and homestays until the road network is restored. In Nainital, landslide debris blocked access routes, and residents of Majhara village fled to higher ground after a landslip swept away homes. Villagers said some people were still unaccounted for.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami toured rain-battered Maldevta, acknowledging the widespread destruction. “Rivers are overflowing, roads have been breached at dozens of places, and houses as well as government infrastructure have been damaged. Life has been severely disrupted,” he told reporters.

Dhami said relief camps with food, drinking water and medicines were being set up and assured affected families that “no effort will be spared to support them.” The Chief Minister briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, who assured full central assistance.

Later in the evening, Dhami chaired a review at the SEOC, instructing officials to intensify rescue efforts. He said operations were being run “on a war footing” to locate the missing and provide immediate relief to survivors.

Neighbouring Himachal Pradesh reported fresh tragedies as landslides and flash floods swept through villages. In Mandi district’s Bragta village, a landslide brought down a house, killing two women and a child. State officials confirmed that four others were missing in rain-triggered incidents across the state.

Rainfall in Shimla alone touched 142 mm in just 12 hours, while Nagrota Suriyan logged 135 mm and several other districts recorded between 50 and 80 mm. The deluge came on top of an already grim season: Himachal has seen 46 cloudbursts, 97 flash floods and 140 landslides since June.

The Dharampur bus stand in Mandi was submerged by a flash flood, sweeping away vehicles. In Shimla, landslides buried cars near the Himland area and blocked the main circular road. High-velocity winds battered Bilaspur, Bajaura and Kufri.

With 655 roads, including sections of national highways closed, 1,250 power transformers knocked out, and 160 water supply schemes disrupted, officials warned that the situation remained precarious.

Shopkeepers in Dharampur and other towns reported losses running into crores as floodwaters invaded markets and warehouses. State Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed sorrow over the deaths and said compensation and relief would be provided swiftly. Former Union Minister and Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur announced plans to visit affected areas, highlighting the scale of damages.

Prime Minister Modi, who had earlier conducted an aerial survey on September 9, had sanctioned ₹1,500 crore in immediate relief for Himachal. Official figures show that since the onset of the monsoon on June 20, 417 people have died in rain-related incidents and accidents, while 45 remain missing.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the destructive showers to a violent interaction between dry westerly winds and moisture-laden easterlies. “This confluence is expected to persist for another 24 hours,” said C.S. Tomar, head of IMD’s Dehradun centre.

So far, Himachal has recorded 1,010.9 mm of rainfall this season, 46 per cent above normal, while Uttarakhand has received 1,343.2 mm, about 22 per cent above the long-term average. The IMD had earlier predicted that the country would see about 106 per cent of the seasonal average rainfall this year.