Chamoli Cloudburst: Who Were Rescued from the Debris?

New Delhi, Sep 19 (NationPress) In a miraculous turn of events, a woman trapped beneath the rubble of a house affected by severe rainfall and a landslide in Uttarakhand’s Nanda Nagar area was rescued with the assistance of local residents.

This incident, which unfolded on Thursday night, is part of the extensive devastation stemming from torrential rains and flash floods in Chamoli district over the past 48 hours.

During the ongoing rescue operations, another person who had been trapped under the debris for almost 16 hours was successfully extracted alive.

The collaborative efforts of the police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and district administration have played a vital role in saving lives, including those of the woman and the man in separate instances. Officials at the scene provided immediate first aid before relocating the rescued individuals to safer areas.

Preliminary reports indicate that over 30 homes were either completely destroyed or significantly damaged across four villages: Kuntari Lagafali, Senti Lagafali, Dhurma, and Fali Lagafali in Chamoli’s Nandanagar block, situated approximately 260 km from Dehradun and 50 km from Gopeshwar.

The region is already at risk due to ongoing land subsidence, and the recent cloudburst has exacerbated the crisis.

Currently, 14 individuals are feared trapped under the rubble, while 20 others have suffered injuries. Search and rescue teams remain active around the clock.

Earlier on September 18, a cloudburst over Binsar hill in the early hours (around 2 a.m.) triggered catastrophic flooding and landslides in the Nandanagar area. The villages of Kuntari Lagafali and Dhurma were the most severely impacted.

Ten individuals have been reported missing following the calamity. Among them are eight from Kuntari Lagafali, including a family of four: Kunwar Singh (42), his wife Kanta Devi (38), and their two sons, Vikas and Vishal (both aged 10). Other missing persons include Deveshwari Devi (65), Bhaga Devi (65), Jagdamba Prasad (70), and Narendra Singh (40). From Dhurma village, Guman Singh (75) and Mamta Devi (38) are also unaccounted for.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed profound concern over the incident and took to social media to convey that he is closely monitoring the situation. “Local administration, SDRF, and police teams promptly arrived at the scene and are engaged in relief and rescue operations,” he stated. “I pray for the safety of everyone involved.”

JCB machines and additional equipment have been deployed to clear rubble and expedite rescue efforts.