Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 12 Jul: Continuing heavy rainfall in Dehradun district triggered the collapse of a retaining wall in the Nai Basti area of Vijay Colony, Patharia Peer, late last night. As a result, several houses were damaged and this forced a major rescue operation by the district administration. The incident occurred at around 9.30 p.m. last night when the rain-weakened retaining wall suddenly gave way, sending debris crashing onto houses situated below.
Four to five houses are reported to have suffered damage due to the collapse of the retaining wall, although some initial reports placed the number of affected houses at three. A major tragedy was however averted as the residents were evacuated in time and no loss of life was reported.
The collapse led to panic among the local residents as debris engulfed parts of the residential area. Information about a woman being trapped beneath the rubble was immediately received, following which personnel from Kotwali Nagar Police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other rescue teams rushed to the spot. Search and rescue operations were launched without delay, while the affected area was cordoned off and residents were shifted to safer locations.
In the incident, 62-year-old Vimla Devi, wife of late Brijesh and a resident of Nai Basti, Vijay Colony, sustained minor injuries after being struck by the debris. She suffered an injury to her leg and was immediately taken to hospital through the 108 Ambulance Service. After receiving treatment at Doon Hospital, her condition is now stated to be stable. The officials shared that no casualty has been reported in the incident, bringing considerable relief to both the administration and the local residents.
Cabinet Minister Ganesh Joshi and District Magistrate Dr Ashish Chauhan reached the site soon after receiving information about the incident despite the late hour and personally supervised the ongoing relief and rescue operations. Joshi and Chauhan reviewed the situation on the ground and directed the officials to accord the highest priority to the safety and rehabilitation of the affected families.
Ganesh Joshi reportedly remained at the site till late in the night, closely monitoring the rescue efforts. He instructed the officials to extend every possible assistance to the affected families without any delay, to maintain strict vigil over other vulnerable locations and shift residents from any area facing potential danger if required. He also directed all concerned departments to remain fully alert in view of the continuing spell of heavy rain.
Chauhan also directed the officials to expedite relief operations and ensure that every affected family receives all the necessary assistance and to maintain constant surveillance over the damaged retaining wall and the surrounding area. He also directed the departments concerned to carry out a detailed technical assessment of the collapsed structure and immediately undertake all necessary safety measures to prevent any further mishap.
The administration has reportedly evacuated all houses located close to the collapsed retaining wall as a precautionary measure and has prohibited the residents from staying in the affected area until it is declared safe. The Police, SDRF personnel and officials of the departments concerned continue to remain deployed at the site while the situation is being monitored round the clock.
The officials claimed that the retaining wall had been considerably weakened due to incessant rainfall, causing the soil beneath it to become unstable before it eventually collapsed. The administration has appealed to the public to exercise extreme caution during the ongoing monsoon, particularly in landslide-prone and vulnerable areas. The people have been advised not to venture near rivers, streams and unstable slopes, avoid unnecessary movement during periods of intense rainfall and immediately shift to safer locations if they notice signs of ground instability. The district administration has also directed all disaster management and emergency response agencies to remain on high alert in view of the prevailing weather conditions.
