A catastrophic cloudburst struck Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district late Wednesday night, September 17, 2025, leaving at least seven people missing and reducing six houses to rubble in Nanda Nagar. The torrential rains triggered a massive debris flow, wreaking havoc in the region and prompting an urgent response from authorities. The disaster follows closely on the heels of another deadly cloudburst in Dehradun, amplifying fears of further destruction as heavy rainfall continues to batter the state.

Rescue operations are underway, with teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Public Works Department working tirelessly to locate survivors. Equipped with JCB machines and other heavy equipment, rescuers have pulled two people alive from the debris, but relentless rain and challenging terrain are severely hampering efforts. Local reports suggest several residents may still be trapped in their homes, heightening the urgency of the mission. A medical team, supported by three ambulances, has been deployed to provide immediate care to those affected.

The India Meteorological Department has issued a grim forecast, warning of heavy rainfall across Chamoli and other districts through September 20. This comes as Uttarakhand reels from a similar disaster just four days earlier in Dehradun’s Sahastradhara, where a cloudburst claimed 13 lives, destroyed roads, shops, homes, and two major bridges, and severely disrupted connectivity. The iconic Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple in Dehradun was also heavily damaged, with the Tamsa River flooding the premises, submerging the Shivling, and leaving deep cracks in the temple’s structure under layers of sand and debris.

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In response to the escalating crisis, the Uttarakhand government has issued a red alert for Dehradun, Champawat, Udham Singh Nagar, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal, Pithoragarh, and Chamoli. Authorities are bracing for potential landslides, infrastructure collapse, and further casualties. With the threat of more extreme weather looming, rescue teams are racing against time to locate the missing and provide relief, while locals and officials call for heightened preparedness to mitigate the ongoing devastation.

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