Chamoli cloudburst wreaks havoc: Buildings collapse, vehicles mangled | In pics

A cloudburst in Uttarakhand's Chamoli on Friday night caused widespread damage to buildings and shops after intense rainfall swept sludge into the Tharali area.

Published on: Aug 23, 2025 12:59 PM IST

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Published on Aug 23, 2025 12:59 PM

A man is seen making his way through debris after a cloudburst damaged several structures in Tharali, Chamoli, on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. Uttarakhand remains under an orange alert, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting thunderstorms, lightning, and very heavy rain in parts of the state. (HT Photo)

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Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari said the incident took place around 2 am, causing destruction across multiple sites within a one-kilometre radius of the tehsil headquarters as water levels in local streams rose sharply. (HT Photo)

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Morning visuals from Saturday revealed damaged houses and roads, uprooted trees, and vehicles buried under mud and rubble. State Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said a woman remained trapped under debris while another man had gone missing since the rains began. (HT Photo)

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Roads leading to Tharali, the area hit by the cloudburst, were blocked at several points due to landslides, hindering movement. Although restoration efforts are underway in Chamoli, the District Magistrate was unable to reach the affected areas because of road closures, the Disaster Management Secretary confirmed. (HT Photo)

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According to the State Emergency Operations Centre, rising waters in the Tunri Gadera stream left one to two feet of debris across the tehsil complex, Chepado Bazar, Kotdweep Bazar, and several homes, submerging some vehicles in the process (HT Photo)

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A building is seen heavily damaged in the Tharali cloudburst. The incident comes only weeks after a similar disaster in Uttarkashi, which left one dead and at least 65 people missing. (HT Photo)

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Vehicles were also left damaged in the Tharali area after the cloudburst struck late on Friday night. Relief and rescue operations were launched immediately by the district administration, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and police teams. (HT Photo)