Uttarkashi Cloudburst: Cloudburst in Uttarkashi Triggers Chaos; Rescue Operations Challenged by Weather
Uttarkashi has been battered by a cloudburst, triggering flash floods, widespread damage, and panic in several parts of the district. The incident, which occurred early on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, has left a trail of devastation, with homes damaged, roads washed away, and water gushing through populated areas. Rescue and relief efforts are underway, but authorities face major hurdles with continuous rain and challenging terrain hampering operations.
Earlier today, Skymet had issued a weather alert for Uttarakhand, warning of moderate to heavy rain and thundershowers with gusty winds across several districts, including Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri Garhwal, Dehradun, and Pithoragarh, over the next 12–18 hours. The cloudburst event has now brought those forecasts to grim reality.
Adding to the concern, Uttarakhand and the foothills and adjoining plains of West Uttar Pradesh have already been under intense rainfall pressure. In the last 24 hours, Najibabad recorded a massive 223 mm, while Moradabad crossed 100 mm for the second day in a row. Bareilly, Kheri, and Shahjahanpur also saw significant rainfall between 68–150 mm, contributing to a dangerous rise in downstream river levels.
The weather setup remains critical. The remnant of a low-pressure area persists as a weak circulation over Uttarakhand and West UP. Under ‘break monsoon’ conditions, the monsoon trough has shifted along the foothills, further energized by an approaching western disturbance. This combination is likely to fuel more intense spells in the next 24 hours.
Vulnerable areas include Rudraprayag, Pauri Garhwal, Bageshwar, Almora, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar in Uttarakhand, along with Bareilly, Pilibhit, Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar, Rampur, Meerut, and Badaun in Uttar Pradesh.
Authorities are on high alert, but air-based relief efforts are expected to pause after sunset due to adverse flying conditions. Persistent rain and risk of fresh landslides may worsen the situation overnight, particularly in hilly and flood-prone areas.
Residents in affected and nearby districts are advised to remain indoors, avoid riverbanks or landslide-prone slopes, and stay tuned to official alerts. The next 24 hours will be extremely critical.
