A cloudburst in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district has resulted in at least seven people missing and significant damage to property. The incident occurred late Wednesday night in the Nanda Nagar Ghat area, near the Alaknanda River.

The cloudburst triggered heavy debris flow, causing six buildings to collapse in the Kuntari Langafali ward of Nandanagar. Initial reports suggested that 10-12 houses were completely damaged. Authorities are still assessing the full extent of the damage. Visuals circulating on social media depict a river in spate and extensive damage to buildings and roads.

Rescue operations are currently underway. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have reached Nandprayag, and a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has been dispatched from Gochar to assist. A medical team, along with three ambulances, has been sent to the affected area. Two people were rescued from the debris by locals before the rescue teams arrived. Adverse weather conditions, with forecasts predicting more heavy rain in Chamoli, are hampering search and rescue efforts.

Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari confirmed the incident, stating that relief and rescue operations are in progress. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the government is focused on swiftly restoring essential services, emphasizing the repair of damaged infrastructure and the restoration of road and power connectivity. He noted that 85% of the damaged power lines have been restored and that the remainder would be fixed in the next day or two.

This recent cloudburst follows another devastating event just four days prior, where a cloudburst in Dehradun resulted in at least 13 fatalities and caused widespread destruction to roads, homes, and shops. Two major bridges collapsed, disrupting connectivity to the city. The state government has issued a red alert for Dehradun, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar, warning of the potential for further heavy rain, fatalities, landslides, and infrastructure damage until September 20. Currently, 15 people remain missing across Uttarakhand, with over 900 others stranded.

Other parts of the state have also been affected by heavy rainfall in recent weeks. In August, a cloudburst in Mopata village of Chamoli district led to two people going missing and damage to property and livestock. The Prime Minister visited Dehradun on September 11 to assess the flood situation and announced financial assistance for the affected areas.