A devastating cloudburst struck Dharali in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district on Tuesday afternoon at around 1:45 PM, leading to the complete destruction of Khir Ganga village. Within just 34 seconds, a massive surge of water and debris from the hills swept away houses, hotels, and shops, leaving behind a trail of devastation.
Visuals captured from the incident show the terrifying speed and scale of destruction, as heavy rainwater and debris surged down the mountainside, inundating the entire village in moments.
Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya confirmed that four people have died and more than 50 are reported missing. Several others are feared trapped under the debris. Dharali village is located approximately 218 kilometers from Dehradun and just 18 kilometers from the Gangotri Dham.
Rescue operations are underway, with teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and the Indian Army deployed at the site. The sudden flood triggered panic among residents, as the water and debris inundated numerous hotels and buildings. The local market in Dharali has been completely destroyed, with multiple hotels and shops reduced to rubble.
The region has been experiencing heavy rainfall for the past two days. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that the government is closely monitoring the situation and all necessary rescue and relief measures are being taken.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for heavy rainfall in Kerala, and orange alerts for Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry. Light to moderate rainfall is expected across 19 states, including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Punjab.
