A severe cloudburst hit Tharali tehsil in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand late Friday night, triggering flash floods and causing extensive damage to property. According to officials, at least two people are missing, and multiple houses were completely destroyed, including the official residence of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), as confirmed by District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari.

Large amounts of debris swept through the affected area, damaging infrastructure and blocking roads. The Tharali-Gwaldam and Tharali-Sagwada routes have been closed due to landslides caused by heavy rainfall. The administration has ordered all schools in Tharali tehsil to remain shut for the day.

Rescue and relief operations are in full swing with teams from the administration, police, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) deployed on-site. One person from Sagwada village is still reported missing, and efforts are being made to locate them.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated in a post on X that he is in constant touch with the local administration and monitoring the situation closely. “The district administration, SDRF, and police have reached the spot and are engaged in relief and rescue operations,” he said.

Chamoli Police reported that residents were promptly evacuated from their homes during the night and shifted to safer locations to prevent casualties. “Due to heavy rainfall last night in the Tharali area, public life was severely affected. The police acted swiftly, alerting local people and evacuating them to safety,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Uttarakhand, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall in several regions. The state has been witnessing incessant rain this season, leading to repeated instances of cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides. Earlier this month, a similar cloudburst in Harsil and Dharali caused massive destruction and left several people missing.