Dehradun, Sep 16 The Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple in Uttarakhand's Dehradun has suffered extensive damage after the Tamsa River, swollen by torrential rains and a cloudburst in Sahastradhara, inundated the temple premises.
Several feet of sand and debris entered the temple complex, submerging the Shivling and leaving deep cracks in the walls.
While officials confirmed that no loss of life has been reported so far, the scale of destruction is being described as severe. The water level, which rose sharply in the early hours, has now begun to recede.
According to temple officials, the river's level started rising rapidly at around 5:00 A.M., leading to the complete submergence of the first floor of the temple complex.
"There has been huge damage. The entire temple is damaged. The Shivling is submerged under 3–4 feet of debris. The water started rising at around 5 A.M. and the situation escalated as the water level reached the first floor of the temple," priest Rajpal Giri told IANS.
Authorities have urged temple priests and locals to stay away from the riverbank until weather conditions improve.
"Everything has been destroyed, except for the Shivling, which is indeed submerged in sand. All the chamber doors are blocked with water and sand. The water has risen, and 3–4 feet of sand or even more has entered the temple," a local said.
The cloudburst that triggered the flood was reported late on Monday night in the Kalighat area of Sahastradhara, a popular tourist destination in Dehradun.
Heavy debris from the incident damaged two to three hotels and several shops in the main market.
Similar reports of destruction have come in from other parts of the state, including Rishikesh and Haldwani, where swollen rivers and debris have disrupted daily life.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah held telephonic conversations with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to take stock of the situation.
Both assured full cooperation from the Centre, with the Prime Minister stating that the Union government "stands firmly with Uttarakhand in this hour of disaster."
Expressing his gratitude, CM Dhami said, "With the guidance and cooperation of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, relief work will be conducted more rapidly in the state."
He added that the administrative machinery is on full alert and that rescue and relief operations are being carried out on a war footing.
The Chief Minister conducted a field inspection of the affected areas in Dehradun district on Tuesday, accompanied by local MLAs and senior officials who briefed him on the scale of destruction.
Teams from the SDRF, NDRF, and the Public Works Department have been deployed, with JCB machines and other equipment pressed into service to clear debris and aid relief efforts.
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