Watch: Tons River sweeps away tractor with 10 labourers in Dehradun, NDRF rescues child from Swarna River

Uttarakhand is reeling under torrential rainfall that has disrupted normal life and caused widespread destruction.Two videos circulating on social media highlight the alarming scale of destruction in the state.

A cloudburst struck Dehradun’s Sahastradhara river on Tuesday morning, sweeping away two shops and leaving two people missing.

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The heavy rainfall, triggered by the cloudburst, also caused damage along the Tamsa River, where the Tapkeshwar temple was inundated. However, no casualties have been reported so far from the Tamsa River area, officials said.

Two videos circulating on social media highlight the alarming scale of destruction in Uttarakhand, underscoring the severe impact of extreme weather events linked to climate change.

वीडियो विकासनगर के टॉस नदी का बताया जा रहा। जहां टॉस नदी के तेज बहाव में एक ट्रैक्टर-ट्रॉली बह गया। ट्रॉली में करीब 10 मजदूर सवार थे, जो नदी किनारे खनन कार्य के लिए जा रहे थे। अचानक पानी का तेज बहाव आने से ट्रैक्टर-ट्रॉली बह गई, और उसमें सवार सभी लोग नदी के बहाव में बहते नजर आए। pic.x.com/P531EpmLnM

— bhUpi Panwar (@askbhupi) September 16, 2025

In the first video, the Tons River in Dehradun’s Vikasnagar is seen in full spate, overturning a tractor with 10 people. All those on board were swept away by the strong current as their acquaintances, running along the riverbank, screamed their names and urged them to swim to safety. So far, there have been no reports on the rescue of the missing individuals.

The horrific visuals reflect the devastating power of the monsoon in the region. Preliminary reports indicate that the labourers were involved in mining activities, but more details on how they got stuck in the midst of the river are awaited.

⛈️ #FWR Ops | Dehradun (UKD) | 16 Sep

1 child trapped in the flooded midstream of Swarna River at Tharkurpur, Premnagar

NDRF conducted #FWR Ops and rescued the child safely; PHT provided

People in flood-prone areas are advised to stay alert & follow safety guidelines pic.x.com/oMCmtawmXz

— NDRF India I राष्ट्रीय आपदा मोचन बल (@NDRFHQ) September 16, 2025

In another video, a child was seen trapped midstream in the flooded Swarna River at Thakurpur, Premnagar. In a daring operation, an NDRF personnel swung across a ropeway, climbed onto a pole, and managed to rescue the child from the raging waters.

Heavy overnight rainfall has wreaked havoc in Uttarakhand, damaging roads, homes, and infrastructure across Dehradun, Mussoorie, and Mal Devta.

In Dehradun’s Prem Nagar, a bridge near the Law College was washed away by swollen waters. Rescue operations are underway, with nearly 400 people evacuated to safety so far, officials said.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that all major rivers in Uttarakhand are in spate and roads have been cut off at several points. “Rescue teams are working on a war footing. The state government stands with every affected family, and all agencies, including NDRF, SDRF, police, and local administration, are on high alert,” he added.