Uttarakhand cloudbursts: Several feared trapped in debris in Rudraprayag, Chamoli districts

Many people were feared trapped in Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts of Uttarakhand after two separate incidents of cloudbursts late Thursday night.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in a tweet, said the cloudbursts were reported in Bareth Dungar Tok area under the Buskedar tehsil of Rudraprayag district and in the Deval area of Chamoli district.

Families have been trapped in the debris. The local administration is conducting relief and rescue operations on a war footing.

"I am in constant contact with the officials, and have issued necessary instructions to the disaster department secretary and district magistrates to ensure the effective conduct of rescue operations," CM Dhami said in the social media post.

"The rampage of rain continues in Deval block of Chamoli. In Mopata village of Deval, a residential house and cowshed were washed away due to a cloudburst; reports of two people missing," a tweet by Pyara Uttarakhand read.

Meanwhile, heavy rains are expected in some districts of Uttarakhand on Friday, including Dehradun, Nainital, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for these districts.

According to media reports, heavy rains are also predicted in Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Tehri and Pauri districts in the state.