The devastation in Chamoli was heart-wrenching, and rescue operations are ongoing. Amid this chaos, an emotional scene brought tears to the eyes of rescuers: a mother was found holding her twin sons under the debris. All three bodies were lifeless as teams searched for survivors following the landslides caused by heavy rains and the sudden cloudburst.
Miraculously, the woman’s husband survived the landslide and was rescued 16 hours after the incident struck Nandanagar on Thursday. When rescue workers finally found his 38-year-old wife, her 10-year-old twins, Vishal and Vikas, were clutched tightly in her arms, a silent testament to her last effort to protect her children during the tragedy.
The northern part of India has witnessed the horrific impact of this year’s monsoon, with countless landslides and cloudbursts causing floods and leading to the loss of lives, homes, and property in many areas.
After the cloudburst and landslides on Wednesday in Chamoli, eight people were missing, which prompted a massive search and rescue operation by the district authorities, along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). The flash floods and landslides destroyed everything in their path, roads, houses, and shops—leaving residents crying for help and separated from their families. Authorities have set up relief camps while rescue teams are trying to trace everyone who is missing.
On the second day of operations, the Public Works Department completed a temporary Bailey bridge on the Dehradun-Mussoorie Highway, helping restore critical connectivity in the region.
This landslide took place just a week after a cloudburst in Dehradun’s Sahastradhara area, which killed at least 13 people, washed away roads, damaged homes and shops, and destroyed two major bridges as if they were toys. Moreover, these floods also caused massive damage to the Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple, where the heavy floods of the Tamsa River completely submerged the temple complex. Rescuers found the Shivling under several feet of sand and debris and observed a deep crack in the wall.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the affected areas in the Raipur and Mussoorie Assembly constituencies to assess the situation and monitor rescue efforts. “Around 35 houses have been damaged due to the cloudburst. About 20 people are injured, and 14 others remain missing. Nearly 200 people have been affected in Chamoli,” Dhami said. “All rescue teams, including NDRF, SDRF, ITBP, and police, are on-site. Injured individuals have been shifted to hospitals, and the severely injured will be taken to AIIMS Rishikesh. We are moving people to safer areas as quickly as possible.”
The Chief Minister also emphasized that damaged roads are being repaired as a priority. He instructed all relevant agencies across districts to stay on high alert for the rest of September, as the monsoon season continues to pose serious risks.