Heavy rain alert in Uttarakhand after flash flood fury kills 4; rescue ops on
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Rescue operations in Uttarkashi have been severely hampered by continuous rain. The Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for heavy rain today in several districts of the state.
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Houses partially submerged due to flash floods triggered by a cloudburst in Dharali of Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district. (PTI)
Heavy rain continued to lash Uttarakhand on Wednesday as rescue operations were ongoing on a war footing after a devastating cloudburst struck the ecologically fragile Uttarkashi district. At least four people have died, nine Army personnel are missing, and scores are feared trapped under debris following a sudden mudslide and flash flood that swept through Dharali village yesterday afternoon.
Uttarkashi flash floods: 10 Points
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The disaster unfolded after a cloudburst in the catchment area of the Kheer Ganga river, sending a ferocious wave of water, slush, and debris crashing down the hillsides. At least four were confirmed dead, and dozens feared trapped under debris in Dharali and surrounding areas.
Shocking visuals from Dharali, a key stopover en route to the Gangotri shrine, showed torrents of water gushing through the village, burying nearly half of it under rubble and sludge. Another wave of destruction surged down the opposite side of the hill towards Sukki village, officials said.
Rescue teams battled through heavy rain, hazardous terrain, and multiple road blockages to reach affected areas. The inclement weather severely hampered operations, grounding helicopters and cutting off critical access roads.
The weather department has issued a red alert for heavy rain today in several areas, including Haridwar, Nainital, and Udham Singh Nagar, while other regions remain under an orange alert.
In light of the severe weather warning, schools and colleges in Dehradun, Nainital, Tehri, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Champawat, Pauri, Almora, and Bageshwar districts will remain closed.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who cut short a visit to Andhra Pradesh, returned to Dehradun and held an emergency review meeting last evening. "Our priority as of now is to save lives," he said, instructing district authorities to expedite search and relief efforts and ensure essential supplies are rushed to affected areas.
Landslides have blocked 163 roads across the state, including five national highways, seven state highways, and two border roads, impeding access for rescue personnel to the remote affected area, roughly 140 km from the state capital, Dehradun.
In response to the catastrophe, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has decided to deploy its first-ever team of cadaver dogs to assist in locating those feared dead. A pair of these specialised dogs will be airlifted from Delhi.
Three NDRF teams, each comprising 35 rescuers, have already been dispatched to the incident site from various locations within Uttarakhand, with two more teams awaiting airlift from the Dehradun airport.
The incessant rain has also caused rivers to swell across the state. In Rudraprayag district, the Alaknanda river is flowing close to the danger mark, leading to the temporary postponement of the Kedarnath Dham pilgrimage for safety reasons. The Gomti and Sarayu rivers are in spate in Bageshwar,, and persistent downpour has been reported in Kotdwar and other hilly areas.
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