Chamoli : At least five people went missing after a cloudburst triggered by torrential rains struck Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, leaving a trail of destruction.
The sudden downpour late Wednesday night caused heavy debris flow in Nanda Nagar and reduced six buildings to rubble.
Teams from the SDRF, NDRF, and the Public Works Department deployed JCB machines and other equipment to clear debris and support relief efforts.
Rescuers pulled two people alive from the rubble, and search operations continue despite extremely adverse conditions.
A medical team rushed to the site with three ambulances, officials said.
However, relentless rain and difficult terrain severely hamper the rescue efforts.
The weather department warned of more heavy rainfall in the coming days across Chamoli.
Locals said several residents remain trapped inside their homes after the cloudburst.
Authorities deployed teams on the ground to locate the missing as the threat of further landslides looms large.
The incident comes just four days after a devastating cloudburst in Dehradun’s Sahastradhara killed at least 13 people, swept away roads, damaged shops and homes, and destroyed two major bridges.
That disaster cut off multiple routes linking the state capital with surrounding regions.
During this, the Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple in Dehradun also suffered extensive damage when the Tamsa River, swollen by torrential rains and a cloudburst in Sahastradhara, inundated the temple premises.
Several feet of sand and debris entered the temple complex, submerged the Shivling, and left deep cracks in the walls.
In response to the worsening situation, the state government issued a red alert for Dehradun, Champawat, Udham Singh Nagar, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal, Pithoragarh, and Chamoli, cautioning residents about the risk of extremely heavy rainfall, further landslides, infrastructure collapse, and rising fatalities through September 20.
Also Read : Uttarakhand CM Dhami Monitors Dehradun Cloudburst Situation
