Cloudbursts cause extensive damage in Uttarakhand's Tharali, Chamoli district
New Delhi, Aug 23 : Two cloudbursts in the wee hours of Friday caused extensive damage in Uttarakhand's Tharali and Chamoli districts.
The first cloudburst struck the Bugyal region of Tharali in Uttarakhand causing extensive damage to the agricultural lands stretching from Dhadarbagad to Tharali village.
The sudden rise in the Pranmati River, triggered by the cloudburst, created widespread panic among the residents of Tharali village and the surrounding areas.
The Shiv Temple located at Sangam was also impacted by the spate in the Pranmati River.
In continuing trouble for the residents of Uttarakhand and the administration, another cloudburst hit Harni in the Dewal block of Chamoli District and led to flooding in the local rivers.
The resulting flood created panic among residents as the rushing water washed away a pedestrian bridge and caused severe damage to agricultural fields, adding to the woes of the local residents and farmers.
The combined effect of these two cloudbursts led to a significant rise in the water level of the Pindar River, which swelled to alarming levels.
The floodwaters entered parts of Tharali's main market, inundating homes and shops, transforming the area between the Ramleela ground and the Betaleshwar Mahadev temple complex into a virtual lake.
This sudden flooding caused widespread panic among the residents, who were forced to evacuate their homes along the riverbank and wait for the water level of the Pindar River to recede.
As the Pinder River's water level gradually decreased by Friday afternoon, people began hoping for some relief.
However, the floodwaters left a trail of destruction. The farmers of Tharali, Harni, Bakrigad, and Mundoli were particularly hard hit as their crops were devastated by the swirling water.
In the wake of this calamity, the affected farmers are now urging the local administration to promptly assess the damage to their land and provide the necessary compensation to help them recover from their losses.