DEHRADUN: At least eight people have died in Uttarakhand in the past 24 hours as relentless monsoon rain triggered landslides, house collapses and flash floods, while persistent land subsidence and soil erosion damaged homes, roads and farmland in Rudraprayag district, officials said on Tuesday.
Five people died in two rain-related incidents in Almora district, including two Nepali labourers who were buried after debris from a hillside brought down the wall of a tin shed in the Dhar Ki Tuni area. Earlier, three people were killed when mud and rubble crashed into a house at Vadyura village in Someshwar block.
“Continuous rain loosened a large mass of debris from the hillside, causing the tin shed to collapse. The two Nepali workers, who were asleep inside, were trapped and died,” District Disaster Management Officer Vineet Pal said. District Magistrate Anshul Singh and rescue teams supervised the operation.
Hours of downpour also sent debris into houses and blocked dozens of roads in Almora, severely affecting traffic and daily life. Authorities said unstable slopes and continuing rain were complicating clearance and rescue work across the hill district.
In Dehradun district, swollen seasonal streams created flood-like conditions after intense showers. Water entered several homes in Herbertpur, Vikasnagar, forcing police and residents to launch a joint evacuation. Tractors were deployed to rescue people stranded in water as local drains and rivers rose suddenly.
In Premnagar, a Hyundai Creta was swept away by a raging rain-fed current. Rescue personnel pulled out an injured woman, while the bodies of a young man and another young woman were recovered. The circumstances surrounding the eighth reported death were not immediately available.
“With rain-related emergencies affecting several districts, instructions have been issued for heightened surveillance. SDRF teams equipped with modern rescue gear have been stationed at all vulnerable locations for relief and rescue operations,” State Disaster Response Force Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi told The New Indian Express.
The monsoon has also deepened concerns in Kimana-Dankot village in Basukedar tehsil of Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district, where persistent land subsidence and soil erosion have cracked several houses and damaged cattle sheds, toilets and fertile fields cultivated over decades.
Residents fear conditions may worsen without urgent preventive action, particularly during heavy rainfall. Former block chief Pradeep Thapliyal visited the village, inspected affected sites, met families whose properties were damaged and alerted the district administration. Subsequently, a Revenue Department team conducted an on-site assessment.
The shifting earth has also damaged several stretches of the Jakhali-Bhiri motor road between Binoba Dhar bend and Kimana-Dankot, severely restricting movement. Villagers are struggling to travel for essential supplies, healthcare and everyday needs.
Thapliyal urged the Public Works Department to restore traffic immediately, warning that temporary patchwork at vulnerable points would be inadequate. He called for a permanent solution guided by scientific assessment and said delays in implementing safety measures could lead to a graver crisis.
Subsidence has also broken the village’s drinking water pipeline at several locations, causing an increasing shortage. Residents have sought prompt repairs and restoration of supply.
Thapliyal demanded immediate relief for affected families, a technical study into the causes of subsidence, an expert survey of vulnerable zones, a full assessment of damage to houses, farmland and other assets, and urgent protective work in high-risk areas.
Rudraprayag District Magistrate Vishal Mishra said the administration was providing all possible assistance. Departments have been instructed to quickly repair damaged roads, while officials continue monitoring affected areas. Relief and rescue measures, he said, will be undertaken according to local conditions and immediate needs on the ground.
The administration has issued a travel advisory, urging pilgrims, tourists and other commuters to avoid unnecessary journeys, particularly on landslide-prone hill roads and near swollen watercourses. Educational institutions in affected areas have been ordered closed as a precaution.
Officials said control rooms were monitoring vulnerable settlements and coordinating with police, SDRF and district disaster teams. Residents living close to rivers, seasonal drains and unstable slopes were asked to remain alert and follow evacuation instructions without delay.
The latest fatalities and damage underline the severity of this year’s monsoon spell, which has repeatedly damaged roads and homes across Uttarakhand’s fragile mountain terrain. With rain continuing in several pockets, authorities said the immediate priority was to locate stranded residents, restore access to cut-off areas and prevent further loss of life.
