Uttarakhand: Cloud burst in Chamoli at midnight, devastation in Tharali village, many houses buried under debris

New Delhi. The cloud burst incident after midnight on Friday in Tharali area of ​​Chamoli district of Uttarakhand caused massive destruction. Due to this incident, life in Tharali town, surrounding villages and markets got disrupted. Many houses, shops and roads have been damaged due to heavy rains and debris. Administration and SDRF teams are engaged in relief and rescue work.

The maximum impact of cloud burst was seen in Tharali market, Kotdeep and tehsil premises. Here the debris entered the tehsil premises, SDM residence and many houses. Many vehicles parked in the tehsil premises were buried under the debris. The roads of the town were filled with so much debris that they started looking like ponds. A young girl died due to being buried under debris in nearby Sagwara village.

This incident created panic in the area and people came out of their homes. Police and administration teams immediately reached the village for relief work. Many shops were damaged due to debris in Chepdon market. Also, one person is reported missing, which has increased the concern of the local people.

Traffic completely disrupted
Due to heavy rains and debris, the Tharali-Gwaldam road has been closed near Mingdera. Apart from these, the Tharali-Sagwara road is also blocked. Due to the closure of both these routes, movement in the area has come to a halt and people are facing a lot of difficulties.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team from Gauchar is at the spot. The administration has given instructions to speed up relief and rescue operations. The Border Roads Organization (BRO) team is trying to open the road near Mingdera, so that traffic and relief work can be smoothened soon.

Schools and Anganwadis closed
The district administration has ordered all schools and Anganwadi centers in Tharali tehsil to remain closed for Saturday (23 August 2025) keeping in mind the safety. District Magistrate Dr. Sandeep Tiwari said that police and administration teams are constantly present on the spot and are engaged in relief and rescue work.

Cloudburst devastation from Uttarkashi to Rudraprayag
Several major cloudburst incidents have caused massive devastation during this monsoon season in Uttarakhand. The most serious incident took place on 5 August 2025 in Dharali and Harshilal areas of Uttarkashi. Flash floods caused by cloudburst in Uttarkashi devastated Dharali and Harshil areas.

Many houses, hotels and infrastructure were washed away in the water. At least four people died in this accident, while dozens went missing. Many villages including Sukhi and Bagori were affected, where houses and agricultural properties suffered heavy damage. In Rudraprayag, the flood caused by cloudburst in Kedarghati area in late July also wreaked havoc here. Many houses and vehicles were buried under the debris and the rivers were in spate.