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Cloudbursts in Rudraprayag and Chamoli triggered floods, landslides and road blockages
At least two women killed; several families stranded and homes damaged
Rivers Alaknanda and Mandakini in spate; police order evacuations from riverbanks
Chief minister Dhami says rescue operations under way on “war footing”
Disaster response teams deployed; Kedarnath Yatra routes also affected
At least two women were killed and several families stranded after cloudbursts struck parts of Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts in the early hours of August 29, 2025, triggering floods, landslides and road blockages.
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said he was in constant touch with officials and had instructed the disaster secretary and district magistrates to ensure “relief and rescue operations on a war footing”. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Dhami wrote: “A distressing report has been received … some families have been trapped due to debris flow. Relief and rescue operations are under way at a war footing by the local administration … I pray to Baba Kedar for the safe well-being of all.”
The state government has directed officials to provide immediate financial aid to affected families and restore basic facilities such as roads, electricity and drinking water. Authorities in other districts have been placed on high alert for the rest of the monsoon season.
Continuous downpours caused the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers in Rudraprayag to swell dangerously. Visuals shared by the district police showed boulders blocking roads, an SUV trapped in debris and torrential water flows.
Movement of vehicles has been halted on several stretches, including between Sirobagad, Bansawada (Syalsaud) and Kund to Chopta. In Chamoli, rivers are in spate and residents with homes along the banks have been ordered to evacuate. “All people living in houses built along the riverbanks, please move to safe locations immediately,” Chamoli Police posted on X. Rudraprayag police issued a similar appeal, urging residents to stay away from riversides.
According to a statement by Rudraprayag police, Basukedar tehsil’s Taljaman gram panchayat was struck by a cloudburst around 5am. Some villagers were trapped between two rivulets, while a landslide in the Chhenagard area caused building collapses that left 8-10 people feared trapped. One woman died in Busaukedar, while another was killed in Jakholi block after being buried under rubble.
Officials also reported roads washed away, collapsed buildings and the loss of cattle. A meeting chaired by Rudraprayag’s district magistrate, Prateek Jain and superintendent of police, Akshay Prahlad Konde, reviewed the damage and directed officers from multiple departments to lead response efforts in affected areas.
Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), District Disaster Response Force (DDRF), police, fire services and disaster management units have been deployed for rescue and relief operations. Authorities said work was also under way to clear blocked routes, including those leading to the Kedarnath pilgrimage route.