Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami headed an emergency review meeting today to set up an immediate action plan at the highest level, following a series of catastrophic cloudbursts and flash floods that have devastated large swathes of the state throughout August 2025.
At the meeting with district magistrates and senior officials, CM Dhami directed all arms of the administration to expedite relief and rescue operations with maximum coordination. Specific instructions included restoring blocked highways, repairing essential services such as water and electricity, and gearing up for the Char Dham pilgrimage and festival season, which face extra disruption due to washed-out roads and landslides.
Major instructions include:
Speeding up relief efforts across disaster-hit regions, ensuring affected individuals are swiftly relocated to safe places.
All departments to collaborate closely and maintain ground-level vigilance throughout the ongoing monsoon.
Immediate restoration of blocked roads and repair of essential infrastructure like electricity and water supply, with tenders and repairs to be expedited.
Special attention to arrangements for the upcoming festival and Char Dham pilgrimage season, bolstering roads and amenities for safe transit.
Red and orange alerts for heavy rainfall have been announced by the Indian Meteorological Department, heightening the urgency for coordinated response and readiness in Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Dehradun, and other districts.
Currently, teams from SDRF, NDRF, police, and revenue departments are working around the clock in the most affected areas, including Rudraprayag and Chamoli. In Dewal, Chamoli, and Basukedar in Rudraprayag, families have been relocated, debris cleared from river banks, and missing persons’ search missions launched.
Water levels in Uttarakhand’s rivers are being closely tracked, and local authorities are actively shifting those living near banks to safer locations. Animal husbandry teams are also being dispatched to aid disaster-affected livestock.
The CM’s clear message is that districts should ask for immediate assistance as needed, and prioritize life-saving measures above all.
This intervention comes against the backdrop of a deadly timeline: On 5 August 2025, a cloudburst struck Dharali in Uttarkashi district, setting off a massive flash flood along the Kheer Ganga river.
Over the following days, further bursts and extreme rainfall hit Sukhi Top, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Bageshwar, and other districts, collapsing houses and bridges and leaving hundreds missing or displaced.
At least five people died in the initial flood, with many feared trapped under debris; subsequent losses and damages have mounted across the region, including livestock and vital infrastructure, as rivers surged dangerously.
Rescue operations have stretched for weeks, with the Indian Army, NDRF, SDRF, and police conducting high-risk evacuations and relief drops to stranded communities.
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Meteorological red alerts remain in effect, warning of further heavy rainfall and additional cloudburst risk, especially in the hilly districts. Hundreds of roads, including several national and state highways, are blocked by landslides, and both relief camps and medical facilities are overloaded. The Char Dham Yatra has been severely disrupted, raising concerns for the safety of pilgrims as well as local residents.
In this fraught climate, the CM has asked all districts to be in alert mode. The insistence is on real-time readiness, close monitoring of river levels, and rapid restoration of infrastructure. Districts have been instructed to prepare for “any eventuality,” with all possible government resources made available, and a continuous watch for further rainfall-triggered emergencies.
