Chamoli cloudburst: Two rescued from debris, several feared trapped

New Delhi, Sep 19 (IANS) A woman trapped in the debris of a house hit by heavy rain and a landslide in Uttarakhand’s Nanda Nagar area was miraculously rescued safely with the help of local residents. 

The incident, which happened on Thursday night, is part of the larger devastation caused by intense rainfall and flash flooding in Chamoli district over the past 48 hours.

Amid ongoing rescue operations, another individual who had remained trapped under the rubble for nearly 16 hours was successfully pulled out alive. 

The joint efforts of the police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and district administration have been crucial in saving lives, like those of the woman and the man, in separate cases. Officials at the site provided immediate first aid before shifting the rescued person to a safer location.

As per preliminary reports, over 30 houses were either flattened or severely damaged across four villages, Kuntari Lagafali, Senti Lagafali, Dhurma, and Fali Lagafali, in Chamoli’s Nandanagar block, located around 260 km from Dehradun and 50 km from Gopeshwar.

The area is already vulnerable due to ongoing land subsidence, and the latest cloudburst has only worsened the situation.

So far, 14 people are feared trapped under debris and 20 have sustained injuries. Search and rescue teams remain deployed around the clock.

Earlier on September 18, a cloudburst over Binsar hill in the early hours (around 2 a.m.) triggered catastrophic flooding and landslides in the Nandanagar region. The villages of Kuntari Lagafali and Dhurma were hit the hardest.

Ten people were reported missing following the disaster. Among them are eight from Kuntari Lagafali -- including a family of four: Kunwar Singh (42), his wife Kanta Devi (38), and their two sons, Vikas and Vishal (both aged 10). Others missing include Deveshwari Devi (65), Bhaga Devi (65), Jagdamba Prasad (70), and Narendra Singh (40). From Dhurma village, Guman Singh (75) and Mamta Devi (38) remain untraceable.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep concern over the incident and posted on social media that he is closely monitoring the situation. “Local administration, SDRF, and police teams reached the spot immediately and are engaged in relief and rescue operations,” he said. “I pray to God for the safety of all.”

JCB machines and additional equipment have been pressed into service to clear debris and accelerate rescue efforts.

--IANS

rs/dpb