Cloudbursts in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag, Chamoli, says CM; families trapped due to debris

Cloudburst in Rudraprayag: cloudbursts took place in the Bareth Dungar Tok area of Rudraprayag and the Deval area of Chamoli district.

Separate cloudbursts have taken place in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts, said Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday. Several parts of the hill state have been witnessing incessant rain, leading to water levels in the rivers rising exponentially.

According to the Chief Minister, several families have been trapped in places where the cloudbursts struck, due to debris.

Here are latest developments on the cloudbursts:

• The cloudbursts took place in the Bareth Dungar Tok area of Rudraprayag and the Deval area of Chamoli district. Rivers in both districts are in spate, with water levels reaching dangerous levels.
• In Rudraprayag, the water levels of the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers have risen exponentially due to incessant downpour, and movement of vehicles has also been halted.
• Visuals shared by the Rudraprayag Police showed a SUV stuck in the debris, boulders obstructing the roads, and a heavy flow of water in the rivers.
  

  💢लगातार हो रही भारी बारिश के कारण मंदाकिनी नदी का जल स्तर काफी बढ़ा हुआ है, थानाध्यक्ष अगस्त्यमुनि के नेतृत्व में पुलिस द्वारा अगस्त्यमुनि क्षेत्र में अनाउंसमेंट कर लोगों को सतर्क किया जा रहा है। pic.twitter.com/NyeAlJm7AY

  — Rudraprayag Police Uttarakhand (@RudraprayagPol) August 29, 2025

• Roads have been obstructed in multiple places between Sirobagad, Bansawada (Syalsaud), and Kund to Chopta in Rudraprayag, authorities said.
• In Chamoli, water levels in rivers have reached dangerous levels and people with homes near the rivers have been directed to evacuate. “All people living in houses built along the riverbanks, please move to safe locations immediately,” the Chamoli Police said on X.
• A similar directive has been issued in Rudraprayag as well. “The Rudraprayag Police and administrative teams are advising the general public to stay away from the riverbanks and relocate to safe areas,” the Rudraprayag Police said in a tweet.
• Due to the rise in the levels of river Alaknanda, water has flown onto roads, completely blocking the Badrinath highway between Srinagar and Rudraprayag.
• Apart from alert locations, traffic has also been stopped at safe places, and arrangements are being made to send the pilgrims forward through alternative routes. Police has also been deployed for security purposes.
• There has been some damage due to debris triggered by the cloudburst in Rudraprayag, but rescue and relief operations have been initiated. District Magistrate Rudraprayag Prateek Jain is constantly in touch with the officials from the disaster control room, the district administration said.
• CM Dhami had also said that rescue and relief operations are underway, and that he is in constant contact with officials. “I pray to Baba Kedar for the safe well-being of all,” he wrote on X.

Earlier this month, a cloudburst had struck Dharali in Uttarakhand, triggering a search for over 100 missing people. While the road connectivity between Uttarkashi and Harsil was recently restored, the Gangotri pilgrimage remains suspended.