A powerful cloudburst struck Chamoli district’s Tharali tehsil late Friday night, triggering a torrent of debris that engulfed homes, shops and official buildings. Many vehicles, including those at the tehsil complex and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s residence, were buried under mud and rubble, prompting urgent rescue operations.
Emergency services, including district administration teams, the State Disaster Response Force, and the police, are scrambling to reach affected zones amid blocked roads and waterlogged streets.
At least two individuals remain unaccounted for. In Sagwara village, locals fear a young woman may be buried under debris; another missing person has been reported in the wider area.
The Border Roads Organisation has dispatched teams to clear the Tharali–Gwaldam road near Minggedera, while the Tharali–Sagwara route also remains closed, cutting off many local communities.
The cloudburst’s destructive force extended across several localities — Tharali market, Kotdeep, Radibagarh, Upper Bazar, Kulsari, Chepado, and Sagwara — where debris inundated residential blocks, shops and public infrastructure. Visual scenes depict buildings half-buried and roads transformed into murky ponds, amplifying concerns for trapped individuals.
District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari warned that the scale of damage appears significant, with many structures—including official residences—rendered unsafe. Hundreds of homes and community spaces, such as shops and administrative offices, continue to be assessed for structural integrity.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said he is in continuous contact with district officials, monitoring developments closely and awaiting detailed damage assessments.
MLAs From Opposition Side Create Stir at PM Modi Rally 