Indian Army joins rescue ops following cloudburst in U'khand's Chamoli

Chamoli, Aug 23 (IANS) The Indian Army has joined the civil administration in the rescue operations following the Tharali cloudburst in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district.  

Teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) 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. Police, Disaster Management Department and District Administration are on the site carrying out the relief 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.

In a statement, the Surya Command of the Indian Army said, "At approx 0040 hrs on 23 Aug 25, a mudslide struck Tharali, 25 kms from Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand. Indian Army has activated HADR columns, medical teams and Search & Rescue Dogs from Rudraprayag and Joshimath."

"Army detachment at Tharali already at ground zero, extending immediate rescue & relief. Additional troops & resources from the Uttar Bharat Area division of the Indian Army are being mobilised and joint operations are currently underway with civil administration," the Army added.

Heavy rainfall battered several parts of the Tharali developmental block, inflicting widespread damage in Kotdeep, Radibag, Upper Bazar, Kulsari, Chepdo, Sagwara and adjoining areas.

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.

The Tharali-Gwaldam road near Ming Khedere was blocked by heavy debris and rainfall, while the Tharali-Sagwara route also remained closed, disrupting movement in the area.

The calamity also swept away several cars and vehicles, while in Kotdeep, numerous shops and houses were damaged, and vehicles were buried under layers of debris.

In Radibag, debris entered the Sub-Divisional Magistrate's residence, the Nagar Panchayat President's residence and several homes, trapping many bikes and vehicles under rubble.

Locals, gripped with fear, fled their homes amid the relentless downpour to seek shelter in safer places.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded an 'Orange Alert' in Uttarakhand, warning of thunderstorms/lightning and very intense rain at different places in Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Nainital, Almora and Udham Singh Nagar such as Kotdwar, Rishikesh, Gangotri, Kashipur, Kedarnath, Joshimath, Mussoorie, Munsyari, Lohaghat, Ranikhet, Khatima and adjoining areas over the next 24 hours.

In the wake of the disaster, the Chamoli district administration ordered all schools and Anganwadi centres in Tharali tehsil to remain closed on Saturday as a precautionary measure.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami spoke to the public representatives of Chamoli district over the telephone and took detailed information about the damage caused by the cloudburst.

Expressing deep grief over the disaster, the Chief Minister has requested all the public representatives to cooperate with the district administration in relief and rescue operations.

Along with this, he also spoke to the local MLA and advised him to stay on the spot and physically inspect the relief and rescue operations.

--IANS

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