Chamoli Faces Widespread Destruction After Cloudburst; Homes Collapse And Residents Go Missing

The quiet of Chamoli in Uttarakhand was shattered late Friday night when a sudden cloudburst unleashed torrents of water and debris, ripping through homes, markets, and government buildings. By dawn, entire neighbourhoods lay buried under mud and rock, vehicles were overturned, and families were scrambling for missing loved ones as rescue teams fought to carve paths through blocked roads.

Uttarakhand’s Chamoli Faces Cloudburst

According to NDTV, among the worst hit in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli were government buildings, including the official residence of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate. Shops, vehicles, and even the tehsil complex stand half-buried, their outlines barely visible under layers of silt and rock. 

District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari confirmed widespread damage and iterated that many houses, including the SDM’s quarters, have been destroyed. Relief workers have been struggling to clear the clogged roads. Tharali-Gwaldam and Tharali-Sagwara routes in Uttarakhand are cut off amidst the cloudburst, isolating villages at a time when they most need help.

Teams from the NDRF and SDRF reached the site overnight. Additional District Magistrate Vivek Prakash said that temporary camps have been opened for the displaced. People are shaken at this moment, but they are safe, he explained, and further added that clearing access roads is now their biggest challenge. 

Also Read: Weather Update: IMD Issues Heavy Rainfall Alert In 26 States & UTs, Including Yellow Alert In Maharashtra 

All You Need To Know

🚨 थराली क्षेत्र से आपदा अपडेट 🚨

बीती रात्रि थाना थराली क्षेत्र में हुई अतिवृष्टि से जनजीवन प्रभावित हुआ। स्थिति की गंभीरता को देखते हुए थाना थराली पुलिस ने रात्रि में ही मुस्तैदी दिखाते हुए स्थानीय लोगो को सतर्क किया तथा घरों से निकालकर सुरक्षित स्थानों पर पहुँचाया। pic.twitter.com/5MaiBgTc5D

— Chamoli Police Uttarakhand (@chamolipolice) August 23, 2025

जनपद चमोली के थराली क्षेत्र में देर रात बादल फटने की दुःखद सूचना प्राप्त हुई। जिला प्रशासन, एसडीआरएफ, पुलिस मौके पर पहुंचकर राहत और बचाव कार्यों में जुटे हुए हैं।

इस सम्बन्ध में निरंतर स्थानीय प्रशासन के संपर्क में हूँ और स्वयं स्थिति की गहन निगरानी कर रहा हूं। ईश्वर से सभी के…

— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) August 23, 2025

Chamoli police said many lives were spared only because officers went door to door in the rain, urging people to leave before the torrents arrived. Their late-night warnings kept the toll from climbing higher.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in a message posted online, said he is in constant contact with local officials. “Rescue and relief are underway, and I pray for the safety of all,” he wrote.

Also Read: Monsoon Fury In North India: Uttarakhand Village Wiped Out In Seconds, Flood Warnings In UP

The disaster is part of a brutal monsoon season across Uttarakhand. Just weeks ago, a cloudburst in Harsil and Dharali washed away homes and left several missing. With the meteorological department warning of “very heavy rainfall” through August 25 in districts like Dehradun, Nainital, and Pithoragarh, the state remains on edge.

Cover Image Courtesy: chamolipolice/X