The death toll in the aftermath of the cloudburst in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district is feared to rise as the number of missing people climbed to 10 on Thursday. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep concern over the disaster in Nanda Nagar and said he is personally monitoring the situation, remaining in constant contact with local authorities.
The cloudburst, triggered by torrential rain late Wednesday night, caused heavy debris flow in Kuntari Lagafali and Dhurma villages of Nanda Nagar, reducing six houses to rubble. Eight people from Kuntari Lagafali, including Kunwar Singh (42), his wife Kanta Devi (38), their two children, and four elderly villagers, are missing. Two others, Guman Singh (75) and Mamta Devi (38), were reported missing from Dhurma.
Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Public Works Department have been deployed to carry out search-and-rescue operations. JCB machines have been pressed into service to clear debris, while medical teams with three ambulances have reached the site to treat the injured. Two people have been rescued alive so far.
However, relentless rainfall and treacherous terrain are severely hampering relief efforts, with locals warning that more residents could still be trapped inside collapsed homes.
The India Meteorological Department has issued warnings of heavy rainfall over Chamoli and other parts of Uttarakhand in the coming days, raising fears of fresh landslides. The state government has issued a red alert for Chamoli, Dehradun, Champawat, Udham Singh Nagar, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal, and Pithoragarh, urging residents to remain vigilant.
This tragedy comes just days after a devastating cloudburst in Dehradun’s Sahastradhara area claimed 13 lives, destroyed roads and bridges, and caused extensive damage to the Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple after the Tamsa River overflowed and flooded the complex.
(With inputs from IANS)