Rescue operations underway as hill region reels from fresh extreme weather
What Happened
- A sudden cloudburst struck Nandanagar in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, late Wednesday night, causing severe damage.
- At least one person died, and nine are missing, while dozens of houses have been flattened.
Rescue & Relief Efforts
- Teams from SDRF (State Disaster Response Force), NDRF (National Disaster Response Force), local tehsil, and district authorities are at the site conducting search and rescue.
- About two people were rescued from the debris; operations are ongoing for the missing.
- Relief centers have been prepared and affected residents are being moved to safer locations.
Damage & Impact
- Many homes, shops, and even the residence of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) have been severely damaged or destroyed.
- Roads are blocked due to debris, with bulldozers (JCBs) deployed for clearing.
Affected Areas & Missing Persons
Some of the villages and localities most affected include:
- Nandanagar, Kuntari Lagafali — multiple individuals missing from there.
- In Tharali tehsil, several houses and shops are damaged, and roads like Tharali‑Gwaldam are blocked.
Names reported missing include:
- Kunwar Singh (42)
- Kanta Devi (38)
- Vikas and Vishal (both 10)
- Narendra Singh (40)
- Jagdamba Prasad (70)
- Bhaga Devi (6)
- Deveshwari Devi (65)
- Guman Singh (75)
- Mamta Devi (38)
Context & Wider Concern
- This disaster comes shortly after another cloudburst that claimed over 20 lives in Dehradun, Pithoragarh, and Nainital.
- The back-to-back incidents underscore the growing risks posed by extreme weather in Uttarakhand.
- Weather alerts remain in effect, with continued risk of landslides and flash floods.
As rescue teams race against time to locate the missing and provide relief to the affected, the Chamoli cloudburst stands as a grim reminder of the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in Uttarakhand. With back-to-back tragedies unfolding in the region, urgent attention to climate resilience and disaster preparedness has become more critical than ever.
