A series of cloudbursts struck Uttarakhand since Thursday night triggering landslides and flash floods that left 26 dead, 40 missing and 15 injured in parts of the hill state. Ukhimath area in Rudraprayag district was the worst hit as a cloudburst in the wee hours flattened dozens of homes in eight villages killing at least 22 people in their sleep. Over 40 people have gone missing in the disaster and 15 were injured. “22 bodies have been recovered so far and 40 persons are still missing,” Piyush Rautela, Executive Director of Disaster Management and Mitigation Department (DMMD) here, said. Villages like Chunni, Mangoli, Kimana, Sansari, Giriya, Brahmankholi, Premnagar and Juatok in Ukhimath area were the worst hit, he said. As the calamity struck the region, authorities launched rescue and relief operations with the help of the Army and the ITBP. However, intermittent rain hampered relief and rescue operations, Rautela said.