Several people are feared missing after a cloudburst hit Chamoli district in Uttarakhand on Friday night sending debris rushing through homes and buildings. Officials said the Tharali market area and the Tharali tehsil complex were badly affected with debris covering many places. Homes shops vehicles and even the official residence of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) were buried under mud and rubble. In the nearby Sagwara and Chepdon market areas two people went missing. One of them is Kavita a 20-year-old woman from Sagwara while another person is missing from Chepdon. Several shops in Chepdon were also damaged. Heavy debris and rain forced the closure of the Tharali-Gwaldam and Tharali-Sagwara roads disrupting traffic. A video from the area shows people walking through their homes now filled with debris and knee-deep water. IMD issues warning Uttarakhand has been facing continuous heavy rainfall this season bringing cloudbursts flash floods and landslides. Earlier this month a cloudburst in Harsil and Dharali caused flash floods leaving several people missing and causing heavy damage to infrastructure. On Friday the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for the state warning of thunderstorms lightning and very heavy rain in many areas. The alert will remain in effect until Saturday afternoon. According to the IMD during the next 24 hours (from August 22 2025 2:05 PM to August 23 2025 2:05 PM) places like Dehradun Tehri Pauri Uttarkashi Chamoli Rudraprayag Nainital Almora and Udham Singh Nagar including towns like Kotdwar Rishikesh Gangotri Kashipur Kedarnath Joshimath Mussoorie Munsyari Lohaghat Ranikhet and Khatima are likely to see intense rain and thunderstorms. An orange alert indicates very heavy rainfall typically between 115.6 mm and 204.4 mm in 24 hours. Meanwhile the Uttarkashi district administration is working to clear a temporary lake in Syanachatti created after debris blocked the Yamuna River. Cloudburst in Uttarkashi The incident comes just weeks after a cloudburst in Uttarkashi district that killed one person and left at least 65 people missing. In Dharali about 264 km from Chamoli flash floods and mudslides swept through the area burying half of the mountain village under slush rubble and fast-moving water. Dharali is a major stop for pilgrims traveling to Gangotri the source of the Ganga River and is known for its hotels and homestays that host thousands of visitors each year.