At least 15 people were killed and several others remained missing on Tuesday night after cloudbursts and heavy rains left a trail of destruction across Uttarakhand. Swollen rivers have also washed away buildings, roads and bridges — leaving more than 900 people stranded in different locations across the hill state. Search for the missing continued amid inclement weather on Tuesday night as rescue personnel brought more of the stranded individuals to safety.

“All rivers are in spate following heavy rains. Roads have been breached at 25 to 30 places. Approach roads are cut off. Houses and government properties have been damaged. Normal life is severely affected. Rescue teams are working on a war footing to restore normalcy.” “The state government stands with every affected family. The administration is already on alert mode, and the NDRF, SDRF, police and local administration are active,” said Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

At least 15 killed, many missing

According to the Uttarakhand Disaster Management Authority, most of the casualties were reported from Dehradun district. Two additional deaths were reported from Nainital and Pithoragarh while 16 people remained missing in different parts of the state capital. The CM also visited rain-affected areas in Dehradun district with local MLAs and senior officials to review the situation on the ground.

Officials said the fatalities reported from Dehradun included eight residents of Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh who were swept away while crossing the Tons River on a tractor-trolley. Two more people from the same group were among those reported missing. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath later announced a financial compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased.

Rivers overflow, roads damaged

Most rivers were in spate following the showers. The Tamsa River, also known as the Tons River, inundated the famous Tapkeshwar Temple on its bank, submerging the gigantic Hanuman statue near its entrance up to the shoulders. The temple’s priest, Bipin Joshi, said that he has not seen the river waters rise so high in the past 25 to 30 years.

Luckily, there were a few devotees within the temple premises in the early morning hours when the inundation occurred, he said, adding that the priests staying at the temple are safe.

Roads were breached, and several bridges were washed away in Dehradun district.

With the swollen rivers flowing over the roads, evacuating people to safety was a huge challenge. Videos shared on social media showed SDRF personnel helping stranded people wade through the violent currents of flooded rivers in which vehicles, including cars and trucks, were left stuck.

About 400-500 students trapped due to waterlogging at the Devbhoomi Institute campus in Paundha area of Dehradun were rescued by an SDRF team, said Banshidhar Tiwari, Director General, Information.

A boy clinging precariously to an electric pole, which he had climbed to save himself from the swirling waters of a river raging below, was brought to safety by an SDRF man with the help of a rope, risking his own life.

Sahastradhara, Maldevta, Santla Devi and Dalanwala were the worst-hit by the disaster, according to the district disaster management office here. Sahastradhara received 192 mm of rain, followed by Maldevta (141.5 mm), Hathi Barkala and Jolly Grant (92.5mm each) and Kalsi (83.5 mm).

Several roads, houses and shops were damaged, and bridges washed away.

The Dehradun-Mussoorie road was also breached at several points, prompting the police to appeal to tourists and visitors to stay wherever they were for their own safety, whether in hotels, homes or homestays, till the road is restored.

Waterlogging in Tehri left people stranded at Geeta Bhawan, Tiwari said, adding that they were later rescued.

A road in Nainital was blocked by debris brought by a landslide triggered by heavy rain, an official said. Residents of Majhara village were forced to take shelter on the road, having survived what they called a landslide that hit their dwellings early in the morning. They claimed that some people have gone missing.

(With inputs from agencies)