Late Thursday night, two devastating cloudbursts struck Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts, leaving several families trapped under debris and causing multiple injuries. The disasters hit the Bareth Dungar Tok area in Rudraprayag’s Buskedar tehsil and the Deval area of Chamoli, triggering massive debris flows that blocked roads and stranded residents. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced that relief and rescue operations are underway on a war footing, with local administration, NDRF, SDRF, and Indian Army teams working to save lives.

In Chamoli’s Mopata village, Tara Singh and his wife are missing, while Vikram Singh and his wife sustained injuries after their cowshed collapsed, burying 15 to 20 animals. Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari reported that heavy rainfall has closed roads across the district, complicating rescue efforts. The Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers in Rudraprayag and Chamoli are overflowing, with water levels reaching dangerous heights, prompting police to issue alerts and evacuate residents near riverbanks. Rudraprayag Police are using announcements to urge caution in the Agastyamuni area, where the Mandakini River’s rising waters pose further risks.

This is the second cloudburst to hit Chamoli this week. Last week, the Tharali market and tehsil complex were buried under debris, damaging homes, shops, and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s residence. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for heavy rainfall in Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Dehradun, Nainital, Bageshwar, and Pithoragarh through Friday, warning of potential flash floods and landslides. The Uttarkashi administration is airlifting relief materials via helicopters to affected areas, while JCB machines are clearing debris from blocked routes like the Joshimath-Malari road.

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The cloudbursts are part of a broader pattern of extreme weather battering Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir this monsoon season. In Himachal Pradesh, 524 roads, including two national highways, remain blocked, and over 1,200 electricity transformers are disrupted. Earlier this week, 7,000-8,000 pilgrims were stranded during the Manimahesh Yatra in Chamba district. In Jammu and Kashmir, schools are closed until August 30 due to flooding. The Indian Army has deployed 12 helicopters across the region for humanitarian assistance, evacuating stranded individuals and delivering food and medical aid.

Chief Minister Dhami, monitoring the situation, expressed concern on X: “I am in constant contact with officials and have instructed the Disaster Secretary and District Magistrates to ensure effective rescue operations. I pray to Baba Kedar for everyone’s safety.” As rescue teams battle challenging conditions, the focus remains on saving trapped families and restoring access to affected areas.

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