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At least four people have reportedly died and over 50 have been labelled missing after a powerful cloudburst triggered flash floods in Uttarkashi’s Dharali village, around 4 km from the Indian Army camp at Harsil, at approximately 1:45 pm on Tuesday. Videos shared online show a giant wave of water gushing through the area, submerging buildings along the path.
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Current situation: The disaster unleashed a torrent of water and debris, overwhelming the region and prompting an emergency multi-agency response. A team of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel has been sent to the spot to undertake rescue operations.
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District magistrate’s response: Prashant Arya, the district magistrate of Uttarkashi, says communication has been erratic because of poor connectivity in the area. “As it’s a populated area with lots of restaurants and hotels, we’ve dispatched rescue teams to the site,” he said.
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Rescue operations underway: Emergency rescue teams, including army personnel, are on their way to Dharali village in Uttarkashi district, which has borne the brunt of the floods. A 16-member Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) team has reached Dharali from its 12th battalion stationed at Matli in Uttarakhand.
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Online panic: There was panic in villages in the area, with people scrambling for dry ground. Several videos of the terrifying moments have emerged, including one that shows people running on a road before being consumed by a massive flash flood.
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How did this happen? The flashfloods were triggered by a cloudburst in the area. A cloudburst is an intense, localised rainstorm in which more than 10 cm of rainfall occurs within a short period over a small area. This weather phenomenon is especially common in mountainous regions like Uttarakhand.
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