The calamity has left 30–40 families trapped under debris, with extensive damage to homes and infrastructure. The Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri, and Bageshwar have been among the worst-affected districts
SDRF personnel conduct a search and rescue operation at a cloudburst-hit village, in Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand on Friday. PIC/PTI
At least four people lost their lives and three are reported missing after heavy rainfall and multiple cloudbursts triggered devastating landslides across several districts of Uttarakhand early Friday, stated officials from the hilly state. The calamity has left 30–40 families trapped under debris, with extensive damage to homes and infrastructure, reported PTI.
The Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri, and Bageshwar have been among the worst-affected districts.
According to the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA), overnight torrential rains damaged several houses in the Pausari Gram Panchayat area under Kapkot block of Bageshwar district. Two people were killed and three others went missing. Two bodies have been recovered so far, reported PTI.
In the Mopata village of Chamoli district, a house and a cowshed were buried under landslide debris, killing a couple and injuring another person, Chief Development Officer Abhishek Tripathi informed.
In Rudraprayag’s Basukedaar area, continuous rain and landslides have severely affected more than half a dozen villages. The USDMA reported that 30–40 families may be trapped under debris and floodwaters in Taljaman village.
Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police Akshay Prahlad Konde said, “There is information about four locals and as many Nepalis getting trapped under debris in Chenagad area. With the road broken at 7-8 places rescue teams are facing difficulties in reaching the place.”
A house has been damaged in Syur village, and a car parked on the road was washed away in the landslide. Ravines on both sides of Badeth, Bagaddhar, and Taljamani villages are overflowing.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in a post on X, stated: “Sad news has been received about some families being stranded due to debris falling in the wake of cloudbursts in Badeth Dungar under Tehsil Basukedaar area of Rudraprayag district and Dewal area of Chamoli district.”
“Relief and rescue work is going on on a war footing by the local administration, I am constantly in touch with the officials in this regard, I have spoken to the Disaster Secretary and District Magistrates and given necessary instructions for effective conduct of rescue operations,” he said, adding, “I pray to Baba Kedar for everyone's safety.”
The Chief Minister held a video conference with the respective district magistrates and instructed them to speed up relief and rescue operations. Teams from NDRF, SDRF, DDRF, and revenue police have been deployed to the affected areas.
In Tehri district’s Budha Kedar region, cloudbursts have destroyed livestock sheds and temples. In Genwali village of Ghansali area, landslides hit a toilet and the courtyard of a house.
The security wall built by the irrigation department after last year's disaster was also washed away due to the heavy flow of debris. Continuous rainfall has led to rivers like Balganga, Dharmganga, and Bhilangana flowing above danger levels, causing panic among residents.
Local crops haven’t been spared either. Kirti Singh Rana, former village head of Genwali, said that potato fields have been buried under rubble. Fortunately, there has been no report of loss of life in this area.
The Alaknanda, its tributaries, and the Mandakini River are swelling owing to relentless rain. Police have been making announcements to alert people living on riverbanks.
The Badrinath National Highway remains blocked at several locations in Chamoli-Nandprayag, Kameda, Bhanerpani, Pagalnala, Jilasoo, Gulabkoti, and Chatwapipal. In Rudraprayag, the highway is closed at Sirobgadh, while the Kedarnath highway is blocked at four locations between Banswara (Syalsaur) and Kund to Chopta.
The administration said efforts are ongoing to clear the roads, and pilgrims have been advised to check for travel updates and road conditions before proceeding on their journeys.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in Bageshwar, Chamoli, Dehradun, and Rudraprayag over the next 24 hours, reported PTI. An orange alert has also been issued for Champawat, Haridwar, Pithoragarh, Udham Singh Nagar, and Uttarkashi.
Uttarakhand continues to reel under a series of natural disasters this monsoon. A devastating flash flood in the Kheer Ganga river on August 5 washed away half of Dharali—a key halt on the route to Gangotri. Several hotels and homestays were destroyed. The nearby Harsil area, home to an Army camp, was also severely impacted, giving victims barely any time to escape.
As per official data, 69 people went missing in that incident — including nine Army personnel, 25 Nepali nationals, 13 from Bihar, six from Uttar Pradesh, eight from Dharali, five from nearby areas of Uttarkashi, two from Tehri, and one from Rajasthan.
(With PTI inputs)
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