Uttarakhand cloudburst: Five missing after cloudburst triggers landslide in Chamoli district
Uttarakhand cloudburst: At least five persons went missing on Thursday morning after a cloudburst hit Nandanagar Ghat in Chamoli district, bringing down debris that buried several houses in Kuntri Langafali ward near the Alaknanda River.
District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari confirmed that seven persons were inside the affected houses at the time of the incident. Two persons were rescued alive, while five remain missing. Preliminary reports suggest that 10–12 houses have been completely damaged, and the number may rise as assessments continue. Several shops have also sustained damage.
#WATCH | Uttarakhand | Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari told ANI, "A cloudburst caused damage in the Nandanagar Ghat area of Chamoli district on Wednesday night. Six houses were buried under debris in the Kuntri Langafali ward of Nandanagar. The District Magistrate… pic.twitter.com/oNWiRwzxYw — ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2025
Videos circulating on social media captured the swollen river, inundated roads, and severe destruction to homes and infrastructure.
Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and local tehsil authorities were immediately deployed. “Efforts are underway to clear the roads with JCB machines. Relief centres have been identified, and locals will be shifted to safer places as soon as possible,” Tiwari said.
Chamoli has faced repeated natural disasters this monsoon, including multiple cloudbursts and flash floods. Earlier this month, the Centre announced that an inter-ministerial team would visit the worst-affected districts — Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Pauri, Bageshwar, and Nainital — to assess the scale of destruction caused by heavy rains, landslides, and flooding.
The Nandanagar region has been particularly vulnerable, with land subsidence reported in August that left cracks in houses, forcing residents to relocate.
The authorities remain on high alert as the monsoon continues to wreak havoc in Uttarakhand’s fragile Himalayan terrain.
- With inputs from agencies
