DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday expressed concern over the cloudburst in the Tharali region of Uttarakhand's Chamoli district and said that he is monitoring the relief and rescue operations.
At least two people have gone missing after a cloudburst struck a village in Tharali tehsil late on Friday night, leaving behind a trail of devastation, officials confirmed on Saturday.
Heavy rainfall battered several parts of the Tharali developmental block, inflicting widespread damage in Kotdeep, Radibag, Upper Bazar, Kulsari, Chepdo, Sagwara and adjoining areas.
In a post on X, CM Dhami said, "Late last night, a tragic report of a cloudburst was received in the Tharali area of Chamoli district. The district administration, SDRF, and police have reached the spot and are engaged in relief and rescue operations."
Teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were rushed from Gauchar to the affected sites, while the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) began clearing the Ming Khedere stretch to restore road connectivity and assist relief operations.
"In this regard, I am in constant contact with the local administration and am personally closely monitoring the situation. I pray to God for everyone's safety, " he added.
According to Additional District Magistrate Vivek Prakash, debris entered multiple houses and shops, while Chepdo witnessed severe destruction due to the cloudburst.
Authorities reported that an elderly person went missing in Chepdo, while in Sagwara village, a 20-year-old girl was believed to have been buried inside a damaged building.