Cloudburst in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli: 1 Feared Dead, Roads Blocked, Shops and Vehicles Damaged

Chamoli: A cloudburst hit Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district in the early hours of Saturday, causing flash floods, landslides, and widespread destruction. One woman is feared dead, and another person is missing as debris from overflowing streams buried houses, vehicles, and roads across several areas of Tharali tehsil.

Emergency teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed for rescue and relief operations.

Visuals Show Widespread Destruction

Visuals from the affected areas showed large amounts of mud and debris covering roads, homes, and vehicles.

Trees were uprooted, shops destroyed, and entire stretches of roads in places like Tharali, Chepado Bazar, and Kotdweep Bazar were buried under nearly two feet of debris. Water overflowed from the Tunri Gadera stream, worsening the situation.

Local residents reported heavy rainfall and a sudden rush of debris during the night, around 2 AM.

In Sagwara village, a 20-year-old woman named Kavita was trapped under the rubble after debris hit her house. Another man, identified as Joshi, went missing in Chepdo village.

Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari said debris entered 30–40 houses in Tharali and a similar number in Chepdo.

Shops and houses in these areas suffered severe structural damage. Roads connecting Tharali to nearby towns like Gwaldam and Sagwada have been blocked due to landslides, hampering rescue work.

Chamoli DM Sandeep Tiwari confirmed “a lot of damage” and said JCB machines and labourers are clearing the roads. Helicopter support was requested to help SDRF teams reach blocked locations. Relief camps have also been set up for affected families.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said he is monitoring the situation closely. In a post on social media, he wrote:

“Late last night, a tragic report of a cloudburst was received in the Tharali area of Chamoli district. The district administration, SDRF, and police have reached the spot and are engaged in relief and rescue operations. I am in constant contact with the local administration and pray for everyone’s safety.”

IMD Issues Weather Warning

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for the state, warning of very intense rainfall, lightning, and thunderstorms in districts including Chamoli, Dehradun, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Nainital, and Almora.

Several Roads Blocked

Several important routes have been closed due to landslides, including:

Thal–Munsyari State Highway

Munsyari–Milam Border Route

Dharchula–Tawaghat NH

Ramganga–Thal–Munsyari NH (closed at multiple points)

Police have urged residents in landslide-prone areas to remain alert and avoid unnecessary travel.