Rains became so heavy in Dehradun that a huge landslide occurred in the Sasthdhara region, which led to mass destruction and panic. The heavy rainfall caused the hill slope to become loose, and then the massive amount of mud, rocks and debris fell with much impact on the market site. Within a few minutes, a few hotels, stores and side street buildings were covered with rubble that left the scenes of destruction. Parked cars in the surrounding area were also vandalized, and roads were blocked, thus affecting the movement and isolating sections of the locality.
Emergency rescue was initiated as soon as the incident occurred. The teams of the State Disaster Response Force, police, and local administration arrived at the location and started clearing the area to find out whether there were any people trapped. Heavy machinery was also enlisted; rescue operations were difficult and dangerous due to the constant rainfall. The rescue teams were helped by the locals, and the residents and tourists living nearby were evacuated as a precaution to prevent the additional loss of lives. The government is on high alert in the region since there is a threat of further landslides in the event of further rains.
The incident has created colossal damage to small owners of businesses, hoteliers and shopkeepers whose properties were partially or fully damaged. Numerous ways of life have been hit overnight, where a market hub that was busy last night is now covered by a layer of mud and boulders. Local people recalled the horrific scenes as the hilly slope started sliding, and people had to run away in panic. The disaster has raised concerns about the susceptibility of settlements and commercial centres found in landslide-prone areas in Uttarakhand.
The weakness of the infrastructure in the Himalayan region is also brought out in this tragedy. The scenic beauty of the city of Dehradun and its surrounding regions is home to a high number of visitors who visit the city, especially during the monsoon season, however, the expansion of human settlements and businesses in the environmentally sensitive areas has heightened the risks during the season. Analysts have already warned on numerous occasions that unregulated and intensive construction on hilly slopes is predisposing their locations to landslides.
The Sasthdhara landslide is a dark reminder of such difficulties. Although short-term actions are directed towards rescue and relief, there are concerns as to how long-term safety and sustainable development would be guaranteed in such areas. In the meantime, authorities have suggested that people should not engage in unnecessary travelling to the landslide-prone areas, pending the weather to improve. Due to the heavy rains that are still affecting Dehradun, the only thing that is important is to save lives and bring the situation to normal in the affected locality.
