DEHRADUN: Heavy downpours earlier this week unleashed a cloudburst that swelled the Tamsa River, plunging Dehradun into a state of emergency and leaving the region reeling from widespread destruction.
The death count from the flooding in the district has now reached 20, with an additional 13 individuals still unaccounted for, according to figures released by the Dehradun district administration. This tally excludes any unidentified corpses, as local authorities have cautioned that such cases may not stem directly from the disaster. The Uttarakhand Disaster Management Authority reported that four unidentified bodies had been retrieved by Thursday afternoon.
In response to the crisis, the district administration has launched a senior-level investigation into the proliferation of resorts in the Maldevta area over recent years. District Magistrate Savin Bansal has specifically called for scrutiny of structures erected along the riverbanks. One official highlighted a particular incident where an illegal retaining wall constructed by a resort redirected waters from the Song River, resulting in severe harm to nearby villages. “Action will be taken against owners who have been identified and any department found to be in collusion with them,” the official stated.
Rescue efforts persisted across the affected zones on Thursday, despite intermittent rain complicating operations. In Majhada, a specialized team equipped with a canine unit, alongside community members, combed through debris in hopes of locating three locals believed to be trapped beneath collapsed material. “So far, there has been no success,” noted Rakesh Singh, the head of Karligad village. “Even though it didn’t rain as heavily last night, we were worried debris might pour in. No search operation took place until late morning while it was still raining. It resumed later in the day.”
The administration has placed Dehradun on high alert, bracing for potential aftereffects as the swollen Tamsa River continues to pose risks to low-lying communities. Officials are coordinating with state agencies to bolster recovery measures, including damage assessments and aid distribution, while emphasizing the need for stricter enforcement against encroachments in vulnerable floodplains.
This tragedy underscores the growing perils of unchecked development in ecologically sensitive zones, with authorities vowing swift accountability to prevent future calamities. As search teams press on, families of the missing cling to fragile hopes amid the muddy aftermath of nature’s fury.
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