Cloudburst in Uttarakhand: Several Familes Trapped, Roads Blocked

Several families have been trapped after two separate cloudbursts hit Uttarakhand’s Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Friday.

The sudden downpours occurred in the Bareth Dungar Tok area of Rudraprayag and the Deval area of Chamoli, leaving roads blocked and rivers rising dangerously.

In Rudraprayag, the Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers have burst their banks fast, forcing authorities to stop traffic flow. A video posted by the Rudraprayag Police indicated an SUV stuck in between rubble, boulders strewn across roads, and rivers full of brown water. The major roads linking Sirobagad, Bansawada (Syalsaud), and Kund to Chopta have been blocked, adding to the misery of locals and tourists.

Chamoli is also experiencing increasing river levels. People who reside near riverbanks have been advised to leave their homes immediately. "All individuals residing in houses constructed along riverbanks, please leave for safety places right away," Chamoli Police tweeted on X.

💢लगातार हो रही भारी बारिश के कारण मंदाकिनी नदी का जल स्तर काफी बढ़ा हुआ है, थानाध्यक्ष अगस्त्यमुनि के नेतृत्व में पुलिस द्वारा अगस्त्यमुनि क्षेत्र में अनाउंसमेंट कर लोगों को सतर्क किया जा रहा है। pic.twitter.com/NyeAlJm7AY

— Rudraprayag Police Uttarakhand (@RudraprayagPol) August 29, 2025

Chief Minister Dhami has assured that rescue and relief efforts are in progress and he is in constant contact with officials present in the field. "I pray to Baba Kedar for the safe well-being of all," he said on Twitter.

This is not the first cloudburst in Chamoli over the past few days. Heavy rain last week resulted in road blockades in Tharali, while homes were flooded with water from the Tunri Gadera stream. Debris also inundated Chepdo Bazar and Kotdweep Bazar and got stuck in vehicles, affecting everyday life.

Relief operations are ongoing in the Harsil Valley, where a temporary lake had come up in the Yamuna River following closure of its flow by debris from Gadgad Gadera near Syanachatti. In spite of these problems, officials have made it clear that the Gangotri yatra route is untouched. Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya stated the Yamunotri yatra is likely to resume soon, with road repairs being rushed by the Border Roads Organisation.

Earlier this month, a cloudburst in Dharali had led to searches for more than 100 missing individuals. While road connectivity between Uttarkashi and Harsil has been re-established, the Gangotri pilgrimage remains suspended as the authorities keep a check on river levels and restore broken routes.

Also Read: Severe Cloudburst Hits Chamoli in Uttarakhand, Several Feared Missing