Draft:2025 Tharali Flash Flood
Submission declined on 29 August 2025 by Qcne (talk).
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Comment: I am very concerned the text was generated by a Chatbot. Two sources did not work before you replaced them, but several sentences are not substantiated by the source that is meant to verify them. For example, source 4 and 6 do not mention "climate change", "infrastructure resilience", "early warning", "disaster preparedness" despite the sentence stating they do. qcne (talk) 18:49, 29 August 2025 (UTC)
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| Date | August 23, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Location | Villages including Sagwara and Chepdo |
| Non-fatal injuries | 11 |
| Missing | 1 |
| Property damage | Extensive (houses, shops, vehicles, roads, infrastructure) |
The 2025 Tharali flash flood was a natural disaster that occurred in the early hours of 23 August 2025 in Tharali tehsil, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India, triggered by a cloudburst and intense rainfall around 1:00-2:00 AM IST.[1][2][3][4] The event caused flash floods, landslides, and debris flows, resulting in one confirmed death, one person missing, and 11 injuries.[5][6] It led to extensive damage to houses, shops, vehicles, roads, and public infrastructure, displacing approximately 150 people.[7][4] This incident followed closely after another flash flood in Uttarkashi on 5 August 2025, highlighting the region's vulnerability to extreme weather events.
Background
[edit]Uttarakhand, situated in the central Himalayas, is highly susceptible to extreme rainfall, cloudbursts, and associated disasters due to its fragile mountain ecosystem, steep terrain, and monsoon patterns exacerbated by climate change. Chamoli district has a history of such events, including the devastating 2021 Chamoli flash floods caused by a glacial burst near the Rishiganga river, which killed over 200 people.[8]
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and lightning in Chamoli and surrounding districts from 23 to 25 August 2025, warning of potential flash floods and landslides.[9]
The disaster
[edit]The cloudburst struck around 1:00 AM on 23 August 2025, primarily affecting Tharali town and nearby villages such as Sagwara and Chepdo. Torrential rains caused the Tunri Gadhera stream and other local water bodies, including the Pindar and Pranmati rivers, to overflow, triggering flash floods and landslides.[10][11] Debris flows buried numerous houses, shops, and vehicles under mud and rubble. The residence and office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in Tharali were severely damaged, along with the tehsil complex and local markets like Chepdo and Kotdweep.[12][4]
A 21-year-old woman, Kavita Devi, was buried alive under debris in Sagwara village and later confirmed dead.[5] Her sister survived by chance, having stayed at a relative's house that night. An unidentified man went missing in Chepdo village after being swept away by the floods.[2] Eleven others sustained injuries in related incidents and received medical treatment.[4][6]
Infrastructure damage included the blockage of major roads such as the Karnaprayag-Gwaldam National Highway, Tharali-Sagwara, and Dungri motor roads, cutting off several villages.[4][3][11] Power supply was disrupted, and 14 drinking water schemes were damaged in the Chapda and Tharali areas.[9]
Rescue and relief operations
[edit]Immediate rescue operations were launched by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local police, and district administration.[7] The Indian Army deployed around 50 personnel from Rudraprayag, along with a medical team from Joshimath, search and rescue (SAR) dogs, and surveillance drones to aid in locating survivors and clearing debris.[10] The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) assisted in road clearance and relief efforts.[12]
Approximately 150 displaced residents were relocated to temporary relief camps at a polytechnic in Kulsari and a nearby college.[7] Schools and anganwadi centers in three development blocks were closed on 23 August for safety.[2] Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami monitored the situation from the State Disaster Control Room, expressed condolences, and stopped his convoy on 24 August to review operations and meet affected families.[7] Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari oversaw on-site efforts.[8]
As of 25 August 2025, search and clearance operations continued, with locals sifting through mud-filled homes for belongings.[9] Restoration of power, water, and roads was underway, though challenges persisted due to ongoing rain alerts.[6][4]
Aftermath
[edit]The disaster displaced families and disrupted daily life, with residents facing challenges in returning to mud-filled homes and rebuilding.[9][13] It underscored the increasing frequency of extreme weather in Uttarakhand, prompting concerns about climate change impacts, infrastructure resilience, and the need for enhanced early warning systems and disaster preparedness in the Himalayan region.[4][6]
See also
[edit]- 2025 Uttarakhand flash flood (Uttarkashi event)
- 2021 Uttarakhand flood
- 2013 North India floods
- Natural disasters in India
References
[edit]- ^ "Uttarakhand rains, floods: Chamoli's Tharali hit by cloudburst". The Hindu. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ a b c "Cloudburst Hits Uttarakhand's Chamoli District, Several Feared Missing". NDTV. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Cloudburst buries parts of Uttarakhand's Tharali in debris; 1 dead, 2 missing". Deccan Herald. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Uttarakhand: Chamoli flash floods leave trail of debris, damage houses, shops". The Indian Express. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Chamoli cloudburst: 1 dead, shops and vehicles damaged in Uttarakhand". India Today. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Cloudburst in Uttarakhand's Chamoli: Landslide deaths, houses damaged". Business Standard. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Cloudburst hits Chamoli's Tharali; Rescue operations underway, CM Dhami monitoring situation". DD News. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Uttarakhand flash floods, rainfall in Chamoli: Gopeshwar, Tharali affected". The Hindu. 24 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Landslide filled our house with debris, returning to normal will be a challenge: Chamoli resident after Tharali cloudburst". ANI. 25 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Uttarakhand cloudburst hits Chamoli, SDM's residence damaged, two feared dead". The New Indian Express. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ a b "चमोली के थराली में क्लाउड बर्स्ट से भारी तबाही, कई दुकानें मलबे में दब गईं". Zee News Hindi. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Chamoli cloudburst: Several houses, SDM office devastated in Tharali tehsil". India TV News. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ "Chamoli cloudburst: Job crisis, homes and businesses destroyed". Amar Ujala. 26 August 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
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