Uttarakhand: Heavy destruction after cloudburst in Dehradun, Tapkeshwar Mahadev temple submerged
Dehradun (The Uttam Hindu): An incident of cloudburst has been reported in Dehradun's Sahasradhara area on Monday night. It is being told that the sudden cloudburst caused floods in the Karligarh river and due to this there has been heavy damage in the surrounding area. Schools up to class 12 have been closed in Dehradun. Tapkeshwar Mahadev temple got submerged in the flood. The priest told- the river flooded at 5 am, the entire temple got submerged, many idols got washed away. However, the sanctum sanctorum is safe. When the water receded, 2 feet of debris was seen in the temple.
According to the information, due to continuous and heavy rains, the water level of the river rose dangerously, due to which an important bridge collapsed and properties built on the river bank have suffered heavy damage. According to initial reports, dozens of shops located on the river bank were either completely destroyed or washed away. Apart from this, two hotels have also collapsed due to the fast flow of flood water.
The district administration acted swiftly as soon as the disaster was reported. District Magistrate Savin Bansal himself took charge and started immediate rescue and relief operations by coordinating with all the concerned departments. SDRF, NDRF, Public Works Department (PWD) and other emergency service teams were sent to the spot at night with JCB machines and necessary equipment. The administration has started shifting people living near the river to safer places.
Officials have confirmed that two people are missing and search operations are underway to find them. Considering the severity of the disaster, the district administration has put all concerned departments on high alert. Relief work is being carried out speedily under the Incident Response System (IRS) protocol. On the instructions of the District Magistrate, SDM Kumkum Joshi reached the spot at night and monitored the relief work.
The administration has appealed to the residents to remain alert and follow the official instructions. Although the cloudburst has caused massive damage, the administration's quick response and ongoing efforts are aimed at minimising the damage and ensuring the safety of the affected families. Searching for the missing people and providing assistance to the victims is the top priority of the administration.
Earlier in August, two people went missing after a cloudburst in Mopata village in Dewal tehsil of Chamoli district in Uttarakhand. In that incident, a residential house and a cowshed were damaged, and 15 to 20 animals were feared trapped under the debris.