On the early dawn of August 22- 23, 2025, a major cloudburst occurred in the Chamoli district of
Uttarakhand. The burst specifically affected the Tharali town of the district. The disaster came along
with huge damaging powers as it affected the homes, lives and infrastructure of the town. It brought
along with it debris-filled water under which several vehicles got submerged and the main marketplace
of the town as well got damaged. The Karnaprayag-Gwaldam road has also been damaged due to
intense rainfall in the region. The concerned disaster relief authorities reached the affected area and
began the relief operations.
The cloudburst that occurred in Tharali triggered flash floods near the town due to which the debris
entered the residential area of the town and led to the overflow of the Tunri Gadhera stream. This
debris caused hefty damage to the town, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) residence as well got
affected intensely. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has further now issued an orange and
red alert warning of heavy rain and thunderstorms in several regions of Uttarakhand for the next 48
hours.
Casualties and Damage
As per the official reports, one 21 year old woman has been reported dead meanwhile two people have
been reported missing. More than 20 people have been injured and many families have lost their homes
due to this devastating natural calamity. The schools and highways have been shut due to severe
damage of the entire town. Sandeep Tiwari, the district magistrate Of Chamoli reported that the flood
entered the town at around 2 am in early morning, damaging everything in the town. Houses have been
filled with debris, vehicles and roads are buried under the debris. Vinod Kumar Suman, Secretary for
Disaster Management and Rehabilitation of Uttarakhand stated as per the report of ‘The Hindu’, “Due to
a cloudburst in Tharali of Chamoli district, debris has entered houses, the market, and the SDM’s
residence. District Magistrate and relief teams have left for the spot. Two people are reported missing.
Government Response to the tragedy
Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami, assisted the disaster relief teams to reach the
affected area immediately. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force
(SDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) forces and 50 Indian army officials are deployed to the area for
rescue operation. The army officials have begun clearing the debris from the residential area and are
also assisting in the evacuation of the stuck civilians of the town. A relief and rehabilitation camp has
been set in an inter-college of the neighboring village for the affected people. CM Dhami visited the
affected area and announced a Rupee 5 lakh amount for the families who lost their homes in the flood
and also to the ones who lost their family member. CM dhami further shared on his Instagram post:
Reached Kulsari (Chamoli) and inspected the disaster relief camp and assured them every possible help
in this time of disaster. Also took feedback from the victims regarding the arrangements available in the
relief camp.
During this time, authorities were instructed not to have any inconvenience to the affected people and
all necessary support should be provided to them on time and with full sensitivity. Officers have been
given immediate aid amount of ₹ 5-5 lakhs to the families of completely damaged houses and the
families of the dead in this disaster, as well as instructions for better rehabilitation of homeless people
in Tharali, on which effective action has begun. Our government stands with full commitment and sensitivity with disaster affected brothers and sisters,
ensuring all facilities of necessary support and relief for every affected family.
The cloud-burst in Tharali (Chamoli) was yet another such flash flood disaster in Uttarakhand occur Infor the second time within the span of 20 days as earlier the flood occurred in Dharali on August 5 th
which also caused a devastating impact leading many people homeless, some dead and some missing.
Such cloudbursts in Uttarakhand are serving as a reminder to the people of the destructive power of the
nature. For such hilly regions of India such as Uttarakhand, a proactive and early warning systems are a
must to mitigate future risks. During the rains, several such hilly towns are affected due to landslides
and flash floods. Affected people are continuing to rebuild their life and recover from the tragedy. The
government is providing its assistance and is working towards the safety and development in the
affected region.
