At least 12 people have gone missing in Uttarakhand after a rainfall-triggered debris slide hit Nandnagar of Chamoli district early on Thursday, bringing down several buildings.
According to initial information, three villages — Kuntari Lagafani, Kuntari Laga Sarpani, and Dhurma — have been severely affected by the downpour, which led to the collapse of at least 30 houses around 3 am and left many residents trapped under the debris.
The administration and rescue teams have reached the spot to search for the missing individuals. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team has reached Nandprayag, where roads have been blocked by debris. A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has also left from Gauchar for Nandprayag to carry out rescue operations.
On Tuesday, 23 people died after cloudburst-triggered landslides and causing rivers to swell in Dehradun and nearby districts of Uttarakhand.
Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari said that at least 10-12 houses are said to be completely damaged.
“We anticipate this number could be higher. Some shops have been affected. SDRF, NDRF, and local tehsil teams have moved to the affected areas. We are trying to open the roads using a JCB. We hope the relief teams will reach the affected areas in the next 30-45 minutes. Relief centers have been identified, and we will be shifting local people to these relief centers as soon as possible,” Tiwari said.
Among the victims, eight are missing in Kuntari Lagafali, two in Dhurma, and two at Sarpani. In Kuntari Lagafali, the missing individuals have been identified as Kunwar Singh, 42, his wife Kanta Devi, 38, sons Vikas and Vishal, 10, Narendra Singh, 40, Jagdamba Prasad, 70, Bhaga Devi, 6, and Deveshwari Devi, 65. The two persons missing in Dhurma are Guman Singh, 75, and Mamta Devi, 38.
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Three people — two women and one child — trapped under debris were safely rescued by the local police, District Disaster Response Force (DDRF), and revenue teams. Around 150–200 villagers have been evacuated to safe places. The injured have been admitted to the Community Health Centre, Nandanagar.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that local administration, SDRF, and police teams have immediately reached the spot and are engaged in relief and rescue operations. “I am in constant touch with the administration regarding this matter and personally monitoring the situation closely. I pray to God for everyone’s safety,” he added in his post on X on Thursday.
In Tuesday’s incident, the Disaster Management Authority has said that 23 bodies were retrieved in Uttarakhand — 21 in Dehradun and one each in Pithoragarh and Nainital — while several have gone missing after a cloudburst occurred on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.
