A cloudburst struck Uttarakhand’s Bareth Dungar Tok area under Buskedar tehsil of Rudraprayag district and in Deval area of Chamoli district late Thursday, leaving several families trapped under debris and causing multiple injuries. The Meteorological Department has issued a ‘Red’ alert for Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Dehradun and Bageshwar districts of Uttarakhand today, August 29.

Taking to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said debris flow after the cloudburst has blocked areas, leaving residents stranded.

He added that relief and rescue operations are being carried out on a war footing by the local administration. 

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The cloudburst has caused severe damage in several areas. In Rudraprayag district, water levels of the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers are rising steadily at their confluence. In Lawara village of Kedarnath valley, strong currents washed away a bridge on the motor road, while the situation in Chenagad has also become critical.

Two people have gone missing after and several animals were also buried in the incident. Heavy rainfall has led to road closures across the district. Relief teams have reached the affected spot, Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari told news agency ANI.

Rudraprayag Police, in a tweet, said, “With continuous rainfall, the water levels of the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers have risen sharply. Police and administrative teams are urging people to stay away from riverbanks and move to safer locations.”

Badrinath highway submerged

The Badrinath highway between Srinagar and Rudraprayag has been completely submerged by the Alaknanda River, leading to a total blockage of the route.

Speaking to ANI, SSP Pauri Lokeshwar Singh said that traffic has been halted at safe points, while arrangements are being made to move pilgrims forward using alternative routes. Police personnel have also been deployed to ensure security.