Chamoli: At least 14 people are missing and 20 others have been injured after heavy rainfall triggered landslides and flash floods in Chamoli district on Thursday, flattening over 30 houses across four villages.
The disaster struck Kuntari Lagaphali, Kuntari Lagasarpani, Sera, and Dhurma — all located in the Nandanagar area, about 260 km from Dehradun and 50 km from Gopeshwar, the district headquarters. Nandanagar has already been struggling with land subsidence in recent months.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed the destruction and said more than 200 people have been affected. “Thirty-three houses, several shops, and cowsheds have been destroyed by debris following the heavy rains. Fourteen people are missing and around 20 have been injured,” he told reporters after reviewing the situation.
Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed to the affected areas, where search-and-rescue operations are underway. Those critically injured including a child with head injuries are being airlifted to AIIMS, Rishikesh for treatment.
Dhami, who reviewed the situation with Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari via video conferencing from the State Emergency Operations Centre in Dehradun, directed officials to speed up relief operations. He instructed them to restore roads, electricity, drinking water supply, and network connectivity at the earliest, and to ensure shelter, food, and medical aid for those displaced.
In the Mokh Valley, torrential rains swelled the Moksha river, causing massive erosion between Dhurma and Sera. Officials said dozens of buildings, including at least six houses, were damaged.
Chamoli DM Tiwari said at least eight people, including four from the same family, are missing in Kuntari Lagaphali, where a landslide destroyed nearly half a dozen houses. Two others are missing in Dhurma village. The road connecting Nandanagar has been blocked by debris, further complicating rescue efforts.
“The swampy terrain is slowing down the operation,” said Nandan Singh, a resident of Kuntari Lagaphali and vice-president of the district branch of the Indian Red Cross. “Torrents of mud and boulders rolled down from the hills at three locations, wiping out everything in their path. Some villagers managed to escape but suffered injuries.”
This disaster comes just two days after heavy rain and cloudbursts in Dehradun and nearby areas washed away bridges, breached roads, and damaged houses, leaving 21 dead and 17 missing.
