Hailstorm, heavy rain batter Uttarakhand; rail ops disrupted, crops, property damaged

Dehradun: Heavy rain and a severe hailstorm lashed Uttarakhand on Friday night and Saturday, causing widespread disruption in parts of the state, including Dehradun, Mussoorie, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh.

In Dehradun, several bouts of rain and thunderstorms since Thursday night uprooted trees, while three fresh incidents were reported on Saturday afternoon, including a collapse on the Jakhan-Johri Road, which completely blocked traffic.

Commuters complained about the collapse of hoardings and standees put up at several locations to welcome BJP national president Nitin Nabin, with one blocking the road at Survey Chowk which was later removed.

District disaster management officer Rishabh Kumar said no major incidents have been reported in the city. “We have had small landslides towards Chakrata which blocked two roads and a state highway but the debris is being cleared,” he said.

Meanwhile, power outages were reported from many localities, including Prem Nagar, Chukkuwala, Malsi, Sahastradhara Road and Raipur. In the Bhagirathipuram colony of Doon Vihar, a boundary wall of a park under construction at a cost of Rs 99.3 lakh by MDDA collapsed and damaged several loading vehicles and two-wheelers, sparking outrage among residents. The protective wall of the drainage channel also collapsed, leading to flooding inside homes in the area and in Raipur.

Around 3.40pm on Saturday, strong winds caused a tree to fall on the overhead equipment (OHE) lines and the railway track at Motichur on the Haridwar–Motichur section, temporarily disrupting rail operations, which was resumed by 7.10pm.

As a precautionary measure, the movement of certain trains was temporarily regulated and timings were revised during this period. Several trains en route, including the Dehradun–Lucknow Vande Bharat Express (22546), were halted. “Dehradun-Delhi Shatabdi (12017) express departed at 5.25pm instead of 4.55pm and Janta express left Dehradun station at 8.30pm which was scheduled for 6.30pm,” said Dehradun station superintendent Ravindra Kumar.

In Bageshwar district, several crops and vegetables were destroyed and road connectivity was disrupted in some areas. According to the district disaster management department, Garur recorded 18mm of rainfall, followed by Kapkot with 16mm and Bageshwar town with 7.5mm. Farmers across the district reported losses to standing crops and newly planted vegetables due to hail and continuous rainfall.

In Surag village of Garur tehsil, a landslide buried livestock belonging to resident Janki Devi, causing significant loss to her family. Farmers in Mankot said the hailstorm damaged creeper crops, including bottle gourd and pumpkin, raising concerns over reduced production this season.

Deepak Gadiya, a farmer from Pothing village in Kapkot, said vegetable seedlings prepared in field beds outside his polyhouse were severely affected by the adverse weather. Farmers claimed that above-normal rainfall during May repeatedly impacted agricultural and horticultural activities across the region.

The spell of bad weather also uprooted large trees at multiple locations. A pine tree collapsed on the Kot Bhramari temple road, disrupting traffic, while a toon tree blocked access to two families in Amtoda village. Fire service personnel later cleared the debris and restored movement on both routes.

Officials confirmed no loss of human life. Authorities have begun assessing the damage and have advised residents to remain cautious, particularly in vulnerable areas prone to landslides and falling debris.

(With inputs from Tanmayee Tyagi & Sukanta Mukherjee in Dehradun and Yogesh Nagarkoti in Bageshwar)