Cloudburst Havoc in Uttarakhand: Chamoli & Rudraprayag Devastated, Families Missing, Roads Blocked
Chamoli/Rudraprayag (The Uttam Hindu): Uttarakhand’s hill districts witnessed nature’s fury once again as devastating cloudbursts struck Chamoli and Rudraprayag late last night. Heavy rainfall triggered landslides, floods, and debris flow, leaving several families trapped and many villages cut off.
In Chamoli’s Dewal region, massive debris from the hills entered homes in Kaleshwar village, causing extensive damage. In Mopata village, two people – Tara Singh and his wife – have gone missing, while Vikram Singh and his wife sustained injuries.
Several areas including Jyotirmath, Dewal, Narayanbagar, Tharali, Nandnagar, Karnaprayag, Gairsain, and Dasholi are facing swollen rivers and overflowing streams due to relentless downpours. In Rudraprayag, normal life has been severely disrupted as floodwaters and landslides continue to wreak havoc.
Key highways including the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway and Gaurikund-Rudraprayag road are blocked by debris, stranding vehicles and travelers. NHAI and disaster management teams are working with JCB machines to clear roads and restore connectivity.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, reacting on social media platform X, wrote: “Sad to receive reports of families trapped due to cloudburst in Chamoli and Rudraprayag. Relief and rescue operations are being carried out on a war footing. I am in constant touch with officials and praying for everyone’s safety.”
Local administration and SDRF teams are distributing relief materials and evacuating stranded residents to safer locations. Authorities have issued warnings for more rainfall in the coming days, urging people in vulnerable areas to remain alert.