Dehradun: Heavy cloudbursts in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts have triggered widespread destruction, leaving several areas cut off and claiming two lives. Rescue teams are working round the clock to provide relief to stranded residents.
According to reports, a house collapsed in Chamoli’s Dewal block due to the downpour, killing two people. Both bodies have been recovered. In Rudraprayag’s Basukedar region, incessant rainfall has caused major damage, with fears that more people could be trapped under debris.
Rudraprayag District Magistrate Prateek Jain confirmed that the administration is on high alert and has deployed teams to evacuate residents to safer locations. NDRF, SDRF, police, and revenue officials are jointly conducting search and rescue operations.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in a virtual review meeting with district magistrates, directed officials to intensify relief efforts and ensure timely relocation of those affected. He stressed that both the government and administration will remain in “alert mode” throughout the monsoon season.
Meanwhile, continuous rain and landslides have disrupted traffic in several hilly stretches, with many highways temporarily closed. Rising water levels in the state’s major rivers have further added to concerns. Efforts are underway to restore connectivity at the earliest.
The Meteorological Department has sounded a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Bageshwar, and Dehradun today. An orange alert has also been issued for Uttarkashi, Haridwar, Pithoragarh, Udham Singh Nagar, and Champawat districts.
