Uttarakhand, August 29: Multiple families were reported trapped after cloudbursts unleashed massive debris flows in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts on Friday, prompting large-scale relief operations.
The worst-affected areas include Bareth Dungar Tok in Buskedar tehsil of Rudraprayag and the Deval region in Chamoli. Heavy rainfall triggered the sudden flows, cutting off several roads and burying livestock under debris.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed the developments in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying the state administration was working on a “war footing” to rescue affected residents.
“A distressing report has been received that some families are trapped due to debris flow following cloudbursts in Bareth Dungar Tok and Deval. Relief operations are ongoing,” Dhami stated, adding that he is in “constant contact” with officials. He said he had directed the Disaster Secretary and the District Magistrates to ensure swift and effective action.
Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari, quoted by ANI, reported that two people were missing in the aftermath of the cloudburst while “several animals have been buried under the debris.” He added that the closure of multiple roads due to heavy rains had further complicated rescue efforts.
Emergency teams, including state disaster response units, have been deployed to the affected areas. Local officials said the immediate focus was on evacuating trapped families and restoring connectivity.
Uttarakhand has been grappling with a series of cloudbursts and flash floods since the onset of this year’s monsoon. Earlier, on August 22, Tharali village in Chamoli district witnessed a similar disaster. Following that incident, Chief Minister Dhami had directed a team of experts to study the underlying causes of such recurrent calamities.
