In the quiet hours of Thursday morning, Nandanagar in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand was shaken awake by a sudden cloudburst that sent torrents of rain crashing down the slopes, tearing through homes and shops in its path. The sudden cloudburst turned the serene mountain settlement into a scene of destruction, leaving destruction and panic in its wake.
Chamoli Cloudburst In Uttarakhand Leaves Trail Of Destruction
By the time the skies cleared, at least one life had been lost and nine others were unaccounted for. According to The Indian Express, twelve people had gone missing when the deluge struck; by afternoon, rescuers had recovered one body and managed to pull out two survivors after backbreaking efforts. The victim’s identity has not yet been confirmed.
District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari painted a grim picture of the devastation. Ten to twelve houses, he said, were flattened beyond recognition, with the possibility of more still buried under mounds of debris. A few shops have also been hit. He explained that teams from the SDRF, NDRF, and the local tehsil are on the ground. Roads are choked with rubble, but JCB machines are working to clear the way. Relief centres, he says, are ready, and people are being moved there for safety.
Amid the chaos, there were moments of relief. Three people, including two women and a child were pulled out alive from beneath layers of mud and stone, thanks to the combined effort of police, the District Disaster Response Force, and revenue teams. Around 150-200 villagers have been evacuated to safer ground, while the injured were rushed to the Community Health Centre in Nandanagar.
Also Read: Uttarakhand Cloudburst: 8 Missing, Bridges Washed Away, Temples Submerged In Chamoli, Rudraprayag
Rescue Operations By SDRF And NDRF In Chamoli
But for many families, the wait has turned into anguish. In Kuntari Lagafali village, eight names are on the missing list: Kunwar Singh, 42; his wife Kanta Devi, 38; their sons Vikas and Vishal, both just 10; Narendra Singh, 40; Jagdamba Prasad, 70; Bhaga Devi, 6; and 65-year-old Deveshwari Devi. In nearby Dhurma, 75-year-old Guman Singh and 38-year-old Mamta Devi have also not been traced, as stated by The Indian Express.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in a post on X, said he was in “constant touch” with officials. “Local administration, SDRF, and police teams have immediately reached the spot and are engaged in relief and rescue operations. I am personally monitoring the situation and pray for everyone’s safety,” he wrote.
The disaster comes close on the heels of another tragedy. On Tuesday, a cloudburst had unleashed landslides and floods that killed 23 people, 21 in Dehradun, one in Pithoragarh, and one in Nainital.
Also Read: Monsoon Fury In North India: Uttarakhand Village Wiped Out In Seconds, Flood Warnings In UP
Together, the back-to-back incidents underscore just how precarious life in Uttarakhand’s mountains has become during extreme weather. For the rescue teams in Chamoli, the clock is ticking as they claw through debris in hopes of finding those still missing.
Cover Image Courtesy: sumithansd/X