Uttarakhand Rains Trigger Deadly Cloudbursts, Landslides; Four Dead, Several Missing

Dehradun: Continuous heavy rainfall has unleashed fresh devastation in Uttarakhand, where cloudbursts and landslides have battered Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Tehri, and Bageshwar districts. At least four people have lost their lives and three are reported missing, while rescue teams struggle through dangerous terrain to reach families trapped in remote villages.

The worst-hit areas include Bageshwar’s Kapkot region, where two deaths were reported after multiple houses collapsed. In Rudraprayag’s Jakholi, a woman was killed when her home gave way under the force of the rains. Villages such as Badeth and Bagaddhar have been cut off as swollen ravines inundated homes, farmland, and local infrastructure. Officials estimate that 30 to 40 families may still be stranded.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said relief and evacuation efforts are being conducted “on a war footing,” with NDRF, SDRF, DDRF, and revenue police pressed into service. He added that he is in constant touch with district officials overseeing operations. So far, more than 70 villagers have been rescued, though many remain marooned as roads and fields lie buried under debris.

The deluge has also disrupted major travel routes, including the Badrinath national highway at Sirobgadh and stretches of the Kedarnath highway, severely affecting pilgrim movement. The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for four districts, warning of extremely heavy rain in the next 24 hours, while several others remain under an orange alert.

Authorities have appealed to residents and pilgrims to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary and to seek updates on road conditions before moving. For Uttarakhand, prone to recurring monsoon calamities, this latest disaster highlights once again the precarious balance between its fragile Himalayan terrain and the growing pressures of climate and development.