At least one was feared dead and several others were missing after a cloudburst triggered flash floods that swept away houses, shops and vehicles in the Tharali area of Chamoli district in Uttarakhand in the early hours of Saturday, August 23.
According to the information, major damage occurred in Tharali market, Kotdeep, and the Tharali tehsil complex as huge debris forced structures, including the SDM residence and other buildings. Several vehicles and shops were buried under debris.
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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed the incident in a social media post saying district administration, SDRF and police personnel have reached the spot and begin relief and rescue work at the site.
"In this regard, I am in constant contact with the local administration and am personally closely monitoring the situation. I pray to God for everyone's safety," he added further.
According to reports, a girl from Sagwara village is feared dead under the debris, causing panic in the area. Local residents rushed out of their homes as rescue and relief operations began. The Tharali-Gwaldam road near Minggedera is blocked due to debris and heavy rainfall, while the Tharali-Sagwara route is also closed, affecting local movement.
Devastation in Tharali
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team has been dispatched from Gauchar to the site. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is working near Ming Khedere to clear the road and facilitate traffic and relief operations.
Chamoli ADM, Vivek Prakash said, "There has been a lot of damage due to the flash floods. A 20-year-old woman named Kavita has been buried, and a man named Joshi is missing. NDRF and SDRF teams moved to the spot last night. The road has been blocked due to the floods and people are facing a lot of problems. The administration is engaged in relief work. Apart from this, we have set up relief camps. The District Magistrate has left early in the morning and has reached the spot, and relief work is going on there."