Monsoon havoc in Uttarakhand as cracked houses, sinking land displace families in Chamoli

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand is reeling under heavy destruction as the monsoon continues to lash several regions, leaving behind collapsed pathways, cracked houses, and displaced families. The states fragile terrain is once again struggling against the incessant rainfall, with Chamoli district facing the worst impact. In the Karanprayag area, particularly under Thalisain tehsil, extensive damage has been reported. Footpaths in Semi Gwad have collapsed, many houses have developed serious cracks, and even old water sources are giving way due to land subsidence. Torrential rain early Thursday brought life in the Pindar Valley to a standstill once again. According to the Revenue Police, Sagarwara village has been among the hardest hit. The house of Jagat Pal Singh Bisht was badly damaged, while 15 other families are living under constant threat. These families have been shifted to the village panchayat house and other safe shelters. Meanwhile, people in Radi village are in fear as the Ghanghli stream continues to rise dangerously. The District Disaster Management Office confirmed that the rainfall shows no signs of stopping, worsening the destruction in the tehsil. One house in Sagarwara was destroyed late Wednesday night, and 15 others are on the verge of collapse. Earlier, on August 22, another house in the village had been damaged in a similar incident, which claimed the life of a young woman. Residents of Radi village described their grim situation. Jagdish Pant, Dinesh Pant and Manju Gosain said their houses had been hollowed out from below and could be swept away into the Radi stream at any time. Large cracks have also appeared in the walls, highlighting the instability of the ground. Sub-Divisional Magistrate Pankaj Bhatt confirmed that a residential building in Sagarwara was buried under debris following Wednesday nights rains, while another was severely damaged. Fortunately, the completely damaged house was vacant, as its occupants had already shifted to Tharali due to the risk, preventing any loss of life, Bhatt said. He added that the family of the damaged house was also staying elsewhere in the village. All 15 families identified as vulnerable have now been shifted to safer places.