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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.

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

In a post on X, CM Dhami said, "Late last night, a tragic report of a cloudburst was received in the Tharali area of Chamoli district. The district administration, SDRF, and police have reached the spot and are engaged in relief and rescue operations."

Teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) 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.

"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.

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.

- IANS