Uttarakhand cloudburst: Death toll rises to 5 in Dharali, over 60 missing as rescue ops stall

Heavy rain continued to lash Uttarakhand on Wednesday, hampering rescue efforts after a cloudburst triggered flash floods and a landslide in Uttarkashi’s Dharali village. The death toll rose to five, while nine Army personnel remained missing. Several others are feared trapped under debris after Tuesday afternoon’s deluge. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, assuring all possible help from the Centre.

Dhami conducted an aerial survey of the affected area earlier in the day. The cloudburst in the Kheer Ganga river catchment area sent a powerful surge of water, mud, and debris crashing down the hillsides. Over 60 people are reported missing in Dharali and nearby villages.

Visuals from Dharali, a tourist hub with hotels and homestays, showed torrents of water sweeping through the village, submerging much of it in mud and rubble. Officials said a second wave of destruction hit Sukki village on the opposite hill. Rescue teams faced heavy rain, rough terrain, and blocked roads, with helicopters grounded and key routes cut off.

 

 

Landslides have blocked 163 roads across the state, including five national highways. The weather department issued a red alert for heavy rainfall in Haridwar, Nainital, and Udham Singh Nagar, with an orange alert in place elsewhere.

Schools and colleges remain closed today in nine districts, including Dehradun, Nainital, and Chamoli.

Dhami, who cut short a visit to Andhra Pradesh, chaired an emergency review meeting on Tuesday night and directed officials to fast-track relief and ensure supply of essentials. The NDRF is deploying its first-ever team of cadaver dogs to help locate the missing. A pair of these specialised dogs is being flown in from Delhi.

Three NDRF teams are already on the ground, with two more awaiting airlift from Dehradun. Rivers across the state are in spate.

The Alaknanda is flowing near the danger mark in Rudraprayag, prompting a temporary halt to the Kedarnath Dham pilgrimage. The Gomti and Sarayu rivers have swollen in Bageshwar, while steady rain continues in Kotdwar and other hill areas.