Uttarkashi Battles the Aftermath: Lives Lost, Dozens Missing
Dehradun: In the wake of a devastating cloudburst that unleashed flash floods and landslides across Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand is now in the grip of an intensifying search-and-rescue mission. Official sources have confirmed the death toll has risen to four, while nearly 100 people including nine Indian Army soldiers are feared trapped or missing beneath the rubble of collapsed structures and swept-away terrain.
The disaster unfolded around 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, when the first major cloudburst struck Dharali village a key stop on the revered Gangotri pilgrimage trail. Soon after, a second cloudburst hit Sukhi Top, dangerously close to a military outpost. The landslide that followed engulfed the army camp at Harsheel, leaving nine soldiers unaccounted for.
Entire homestays, lodges, private residences, and tourist accommodations were either washed away or buried under debris as torrents of water roared downhill, carrying boulders and sludge in their path. Dharali, once a serene Himalayan village, now lies in ruins its structures flattened and residents scattered or missing.
With urgency growing, additional personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are being deployed to the affected zones. The Indian Air Force has also mobilized a helicopter to assist in reconnaissance and rapid-response rescues in hard-to-reach areas.
Authorities are focusing their efforts on Dharali and its surrounding localities, where most of the damage and disappearances have been reported. Rescuers, some working around the clock, are navigating landslide-prone slopes and unstable debris to find anyone possibly trapped underground or beneath collapsed buildings.
Tourists visiting the area during the sacred Gangotri Yatra are believed to be among those missing. Locals reported hearing cries for help as the floods tore through roads and habitations. With several roads blocked and communication lines down, the full extent of the disaster is still being assessed.
The calamity has brought back haunting memories of past Himalayan disasters the Kedarnath flood of 2013 chief among them. Experts warn that increasing instances of cloudbursts and extreme weather in Uttarakhand point to a concerning pattern linked to climate change and unchecked development in ecologically sensitive zones.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep concern over the tragedy, assuring that every effort is being made to locate the missing and provide relief to the affected. "We are closely monitoring the situation. All rescue resources are being mobilized. The safety of our people is our top priority," he said in a statement.
As the search continues and the hills mourn, the residents of Uttarkashi and the teams on the ground are locked in a race against time and the weather.