A flash flood struck the Uttarakashi district of Uttarakhand, killing at least four and trapping around 200 people in the village of Dharali.
The flood, which created a river of sludge, was caused by a cloudburst.
The cloudburst that occurred close to the Kheer Ganga river catchment area saw an extreme rainfall of over 210 mm in the last 24 hours. The wall of debris reported to have been around 25 feet high swamped the village and destroyed homes, trees and cars. The rains have been continuous for the past three days. Rescue operations are now underway, and around 150 people have already been rescued.
#WATCH | Uttarkashi cloudburst incident | Delhi: Mohsen Shahedi, DIG, NDRF says, "As per the information received, four people have lost their lives and over 50 people are reported missing. Flash floods were also reported in two places in Harsil and Sukhi Top. Around 11 Army… pic.twitter.com/nI3yMrk1xt
— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2025
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "All our agencies, including the Indian Army, ITBP, SDRF, NDRF and locals, are carrying out rescue operations. 130 people were rescued yesterday. Search and rescue operations are underway. Roads and a bridge have been damaged, making it difficult to reach the site. The disaster operations station in Dehradun is working 24 hours to provide all possible assistance. We are making efforts to rescue everyone safely. I would like to thank PM Modi for providing all possible assistance. PM Modi also took details of the rescue operation today..."
#WATCH | Uttarkashi cloudburst incident | Delhi: Mohsen Shahedi, DIG, NDRF says, "Around 150 people have been taken to safe spots. As far as the information, four people have been found dead, and over 100 people are missing. We are still waiting for the confirmation from the… pic.twitter.com/KCFQ73etyL
— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2025
Indian army helicopters, along with 10 DSP, 3SP and around 160 police officers, are engaged in a rescue operation, according to the minister. The helicopters will be used once the weather improves.
#WATCH | Incessant rainfall in Uttarakhand has damaged roads at multiple locations on NH-34 (Uttarkashi–Gangotri axis), including a 100m washout at Papadgad and major debris blockage near Dharali. Restoration work by BRO is underway despite inclement weather, continuous rainfall… pic.twitter.com/teeAKdQx26
— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2025
Efforts are being taken to build a temporary bridge to reach the village.
Food packets and a team of doctors are also on standby, local media reported. The Chief Minister had conducted an aerial survey of the area.
The continuous rains also caused the Ganga River in the Haridwar region of Uttarakhand to rise. The water level has reached close to danger levels according to the executive engineer of the Irrigation Department, Vikas Tyagi, who said, “Yesterday its water level was around 293, which is the warning level here, and today it has reached close to the danger mark. However, it has not reached the danger mark yet. But the way it is raining, it will remain close to the danger mark today. There is no worrying situation in Haridwar. The situation is completely under control. We are in touch with the administration, and the administration is active."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have been taking note of the incident.
