Dehradun cloudburst: Scary visuals emerge as flash floods sweep city, bridge damaged on national highway

NEW DELHI: A powerful cloudburst hit Dehradun on Tuesday, triggering flash floods that swept through parts of the city and caused widespread damage.

Overnight torrential rain led to the damage of a bridge near Fun Valley and Uttarakhand Dental College on the Dehradun–Haridwar National Highway.


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The damage disrupted traffic movement and left several commuters stranded, prompting authorities to stay on high alert.

Scary visuals from the scene showed water gushing through at high speed, posing a threat to nearby areas.


Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed concern over the situation, particularly in the Sahastradhara area, where several shops and hotels were damaged.

"Received the sad news of some shops getting damaged due to heavy rains in Sasthdhara, Dehradun, late last night. District administration, SDRF, and police have reached the spot and are engaged in relief and rescue operations," the chief minister said in a post on X.

"I am constantly in touch with the local administration in this regard and am personally monitoring the situation. I pray to God for everyone's safety," he added.

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The Sahastradhara river overflowed due to the heavy rain, sweeping debris into the main market area and causing severe damage to commercial establishments.

In another part of the city, the Tamsa River also rose sharply, flooding the premises of the Tapkeshwar Mahadev temple. Water entered the courtyard and rose up to the statue of Hanuman, although the sanctum sanctorum remained safe.

Temple priest Acharya Bipin Joshi said the flooding began early in the morning.

"The river started flowing heavily since 5am, the entire temple premises were submerged. 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.

Relief and rescue teams from the SDRF and local police are continuing operations in affected areas.

(With inputs from agencies)