Sunday, 21 August 2022 | PNS | Dehradun
Heavy rains cause havoc, authorities caught unprepared
Caught unawares apparently despite meteorological forecasts and repeated meetings on alertness and work quality, the State administration came into action after heavy rains inflicted major damaged in Dehradun district and other parts of the State resulting in the death of four persons and injury to 13 persons while 12 persons were reported missing. Four cowsheds were damaged while 78 cattle were killed. The rains also resulted in a bridge being washed away in Dehradun, road links being severed and flooding in various localities on Saturday.
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami toured some of the affected areas to view the damage. Apart from the damage caused to road links and inconvenience in the suburban areas, residences in various parts of the city were also inundated. The famous Tapkeshwar Mahadev temple was also flooded in the wee hours. No major damage to property was caused by the flooding which receded as the day progressed.
Local public representatives reached the collapsed bridge and other affected areas, after which the chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also visited some of the affected areas. Dhami visited Thano, Raipur and other affected areas apart from the visiting the disaster control room in the secretariat. He had telephonic conversations with the district magistrates of Pauri, Tehri and Almora seeking information about the damage caused by heavy rainfall. The CM directed officials to search for missing people, rescue people stranded on roads and provide food grains, drinking water and medical assistance to the affected people. Dhami also repeated his earlier instructions about ensuring the availability of food grains, medicines, fuel and other essential commodities. Repeating another past instruction, he directed officials to set up a system which enables messages relayed from the State headquarters to reach remote villages. Yet again, he said that departmental secretaries and heads of departments should regularly monitor their departments from the viewpoint of disaster.
The State meteorological centre has forecast the possibility of heavy rainfall in Dehradun and two other districts on Saturday. The foothills surrounding the Doon Valley witnessed consistent rainfall since Friday night. Even while some concerned citizens were sharing messages on social media about heavy rain in the hills surrounding Dehradun valley and the need for the administration to act, the rescue and relief measures began after the damage occurred. While a bridge on the road leading to the Dehradun airport through Thano collapsed in the wee hours, swollen rivers caused damaged to riverside constructions in the Raipur and other areas.
Dhami said those injured by the situation caused by heavy rain in Dehradun were admitted in a private hospital in the city. He also visited the hospital to check on their condition.
