Floods devastate Uttarakhand’s Chamoli, rescue operations underway

A sudden cloudburst late August 22 night unleashed floods and debris flows across Tharali in Chamoli district, leaving at least two people missing, villages cut off, and markets buried under mud and rubble. The disaster struck shortly after midnight, catching residents off guard as torrents of rain-fed streams tore through settlements.

According to district officials, a 21-year-old woman and an elderly man remain trapped under debris in Sagwara village. In Chepadon and Kotdeep markets, waist-deep sludge swamped shops and houses, leaving vehicles stranded and livelihoods in ruins. Rescue teams reported a young girl also trapped in a collapsed house in Sagwara. Efforts to pull her out are underway.

Emergency teams — including police, fire services, DDRF personnel, and local administration — rushed to the scene overnight. Reinforcement from NDRF and SDRF units is en route, while the Border Roads Organisation has begun clearing the debris-choked Karnaprayag–Gwaldam National Highway near Ming Gadhera. The road to Gwaldam, along with the Tharali–Sagwara stretch, remains blocked, effectively isolating several communities.

“Arrangements are being made to shift the affected families to safer locations,” said Additional District Magistrate Vivek Prakash, as heavy machinery and rescue units battled rain and mud to restore access.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed concern, confirming he is “closely monitoring the situation” while relief operations continue. “The district administration, SDRF, and police are on the ground, working round the clock,” he said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of more trouble ahead, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and lightning across Uttarakhand through the weekend. Chamoli, Dehradun, Tehri, Bageshwar, and Nainital are among districts facing an orange alert for the next three days.