Death, destruction deja vu: These photos show cloudbursts emergent pattern

A series of cloudbursts hit different parts of Uttarakhand, including Dehradun’s Raipur, August 20, 2022. Several villages have been affected and their residents have been moved for their safety. In picture: The river Song in spate. Photo: Megha Prakash

The water was dangerously close to a bridge connecting Maldevta to Tehri area over the river Bandal. A portion of the road was washed away and around 30 people were trapped inside a resort. Several deaths and missing people have also been reported. Photo: Megha Prakash

A bridge over the Song river near Thano got washed away due to the torrential rains in the area, trapping people. A dam has been proposed for the river and several hilly areas are being cut for better connectivity to the Tehri region as well. Photo: Megha Prakash

There could be several reasons why there are so many instances of damage by the rivers in the area. Disturbance in the ecological balance due to excessive road cutting could be one reason. A picture from June 11, 2022, shows road cutting above Kumalda village. Photo: Megha Prakash

Several water channels are being created at Raipur-Thano to manage the water current. Rampant construction along the river bed has also added to the problem. Many tourists in resorts along the river were trapped with no way out following the torrential rains. Photo: Megha Prakash