Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Aug 5: At least four people have been killed and 50 others missing wile scores are feared trapped under the debris or washed away after a cloudburst struck Uttarkashi district Uttarakhand on Tuesday afternoon, triggering a mudslide and flash floods that swept through a village, catching its residents by surprise.
Following flash floods and a massive debris slide in the river Kheer Ganga, several hotels, shops, and restaurants were swept away, with many people feared dead in Dharali village of Uttarkashi on Tuesday. Horrifying visuals from Dharali village in Uttarkashi show a massive stream of water gushing towards homes after the cloudburst in the catchment area of Kheer Ganga river. In the visuals, residents are heard screaming in panic and a man is seen stumbling as he tries to come out of the sludge.
Two massive mudslides struck Dharali village and over Harsil Army Camp on Tuesday. The devastating mudslide triggered by a cloudburst struck the village in Kheer Gad area and sent torrents of debris and water cascading through the settlement.
According to officials, around 1:50 pm, the water level suddenly rose due to a cloudburst and brought heavy debris into the Dharali market area, damaging buildings, hotels, and shops. The IBEX Brigade of the Indian Army, camping at Harsil, rushed to the spot in 10 minutes and began rescue operations, said defence PRO Lieutenant Colonel Manish Srivastava. So far, 20 people have been rescued. The camp of the Armed Forces was also struck by a flash flood soon after.
District Magistrate Prashant Arya has confirmed four deaths and said several were feared trapped in the debris. The rescue and relief operations involved the Army, the State Disaster Response Force, the Fire Department, the local administration, and the police.
On Tuesday morning, the India Meteorological Department had alerted that Dynamic Global (GFS) & Mesoscale Model (WRF & NCUM) forecasts very heavy rainfall up to 120 mm in the next 24 hours. Uttarkashi received 16 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours. At 6 pm, according to the IMD, the Gangotri station indicated heavy rain of 15 mm per hour with severe thunderstorms with maximum surface wind speed 62 -87 kmph.
The incident site is 80 km from the Uttarkashi district headquarters. The nearest hospital is 5 km away. The district hospital is 88 km away, and AIIMS Rishikesh is 246 km from the site.
The state government said the Indian Air Force has been contacted for aerial support. “Beds have been reserved at nearby government hospitals and at AIIMS, Dehradun. A sufficient number of ambulances have been mobilised. Residents in at-risk areas are being evacuated to safer locations,” said the statement. Additional beds have been reserved at AIIMS Rishikesh and Doon Hospital.
About 50 NDRF personnel have been dispatched from Delhi and 15 from Dehradun while 30 SDRF personnel have been sent from Gangotri, and 45 from Dehradun and 30 ITBP personnel have also been deployed for relief and rescue operations. The State Emergency Operation Centre has requested the Indian Air Force to deploy two MI helicopters and one Chinook helicopter. Two helicopters of UCADA are also ready for rescue operations. Aerial support will be activated as soon as weather conditions permit.
SDM Bhatwari, Shalini Negi, said various points on the route to Dharali were hit by landslides, obstructing their path. Due to road blockages and bad weather, rescue teams were facing challenges in reaching the incident site. Road-clearing operations were in progress. “As soon as the weather improves, rescue teams will reach the site via air and road routes,” said the statement.
The SDRF has dispatched equipment such as victim location cameras, thermal imaging cameras, RR saws, diamond chain saws, carbide-tipped chain saws, chipping hammers, drones, Pelican lights, Dragon lights, and medical supplies to the site.
BJP MLA from Gangotri, Suresh Chauhan, said at least 20–22 people have been rescued so far by a 150-member team stationed at the Harshil Valley base. He said, “Efforts are still on to save the locals. I am present at the control room myself.” Chauhan added that nearly 20–25 buildings have been completely demolished in the aftermath of the cloudburst. “There is a lot of loss that has taken place,” he said.
The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for multiple districts in Uttarakhand, warning of very heavy rain and thunderstorms between 6 pm and 9 pm on Tuesday. The warning covers Almora, Bageshwar, Chamoli, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, Rudra Prayag, Udham Singh Nagar and Uttarkashi districts. Specific areas on alert include Janaki Chatti, Pulam Sumda, Purola, Barahat Range, Chinyalisaur, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Karnaprayag, Lohaghat, Didihat, Munsyari, Rudrapur, Khatima and Jaspur.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to review the situation and said all possible efforts were being made to help people. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also spoken to the Chief Minister. Teams of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the National Disaster Response Forces have been rushed to the area to begin rescue work. These teams are racing against time to rescue those trapped in the debris.
The Chief Minister Dhami said the district administration, the Army, NDRF and the state disaster response force are conducting rescue work and evacuation in the affected areas. “The administration is fully alert and affected citizens are being provided every help.”
The Uttarkashi police has posted pictures of the destruction and urged people to maintain a safe distance from rivers. “In view of this incident, everyone should maintain a safe distance from the river. Ensure that you, children, and animals are kept at a safe distance from the river,” they said.
Uttarakhand has been receiving heavy rain this monsoon and major rivers, including the Ganga in Haridwar, are in spate. On Monday, two people died in rain-related incidents, and two shops were buried under boulders and debris falling from the hillside in Rudraprayag district.
