Chamoli, Uttarakhand (Rajeev Sharma): A sudden cloudburst late Wednesday night in the Nanda Nagar area of Chamoli district has left a trail of destruction, with at least five people reported missing and six houses completely washed away.
According to officials, two people were rescued from under the debris while teams continue to search for others who are feared trapped. Rescue efforts by the SDRF, local police, and medical units are underway, though heavy rains are making the operation difficult. Three ambulances and additional relief personnel have been rushed to the site.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami took to X (formerly Twitter) early Thursday to assure citizens of the government’s swift response. “Heavy rainfall in the Nandan Nagar Ghat area of Chamoli district has caused damage to nearby houses. Local administration, SDRF, and police teams have reached the spot immediately and are engaged in relief and rescue operations. I am in constant contact with the administration and monitoring the situation,” Dhami wrote.
The incident comes on the heels of another cloudburst in Dehradun earlier this week, which left 13 people dead, destroyed homes, and swept away bridges, isolating several areas. Authorities have already issued red alerts for Dehradun, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar, warning of further extreme rainfall and the risk of landslides through September 20.
More than 900 people have been stranded in various districts of Uttarakhand this monsoon season, while at least 15 remain unaccounted for in separate incidents across the state. Officials said the Ganga and Yamuna rivers are flowing near warning levels, and the threat of flooding continues.
Meanwhile, neighboring Himachal Pradesh is also reeling under rain-triggered disasters. Earlier this week, landslides and flash floods there claimed three lives and caused extensive damage to infrastructure.
Relief teams in Uttarakhand say their immediate priority is to rescue those still trapped in Chamoli and restore essential services like road connectivity and electricity. Despite the grim conditions, officials expressed hope that operations will make progress as weather conditions improve.
