‘Massive destruction’: 4 killed, around 100 missing as flash floods wash away Uttarakhand village

At least four people were killed, and around a hundred others are missing after flash floods triggered by a massive cloudburst in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi on Tuesday swept through a village. Horrifying visuals from Dharali village in Uttarkashi show a massive stream of water and silt gushing down a hill towards homes after the cloudburst in the catchment area of the Kheer Ganga river, causing huge destruction. The force of the rushing mudslide was so immense that even three- and four-storey houses fell like a pack of cards, while others got buried under the fast-flowing mudslide of slush, rubble, and water.

‘4 deaths, 100 missing’: MoS Defence Sanjay Seth

Union MoS Defence Sanjay Seth said around 100 people are missing, of which some are Army soldiers involved in the search and rescue operations.

“It is a serious situation. PM Modi ji and Amit Shah ji are closely monitoring it. This is a natural calamity. We have received information about four deaths and around 100 people missing. We pray for their safety,” he said.

Nine soldiers are also reportedly missing after an army camp in Uttarakhand’s Harshil, just 4 km from the Dharali village, was hit by flash floods.

However, the Army team continued to operate with unwavering determination in the mudslide relief operations, and additional columns were moved and pressed into rescue operations.

40 to 50 buildings damaged in flash flood: Uttarakhand Principal Secretary

Uttarakhand Principal Secretary R K Sudhanshu said 40 to 50 buildings were damaged in the flash flood.

Dharali is the main stopover on the way to Gangotri and has many hotels, restaurants, and homestays. The cloudburst occurred in the catchment area of the Kheer Ganga River, leading to devastating floods, locals said.

Cloudbursts are devastating natural disasters, as they cause an enormous amount of rainfall in a limited area within an extremely short span of time.

The army mobilized 150 personnel to the disaster site within 10 minutes, and the rescue teams began evacuating trapped villagers. The rain continued throughout till evening, hampering rescue efforts.

In one of the videos, residents are heard screaming in panic, and a man is seen stumbling as he tries to come out of the sludge.

PM Modi, Amit Shah speak to CM Dhami

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to review the situation. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke to the CM.

Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Indo Tibetan Border Patrol (ITBP) were deployed for rescue operations.

The Uttarkashi Police posted pictures of the destruction and urged people to stay at a safe distance from rivers.

Uttarakhand has been receiving heavy rain in this monsoon, and major rivers, including the Ganga in Haridwar, are in spate.

IMD issues red alert for Uttarakhand

The weather department said heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected over the next three days as a western disturbance is impacting the Himalayan region.

Shortly after a massive cloudburst hit the high-altitude village of Dharali, another cloudburst was seen at the Sukhi Top in Uttarkashi.