Uttarkashi cloudburst: Over 100 still missing in Dharali; rescue hampered by landslides and equipment delays | Watch
PTC Web Desk: The fourth day of rescue efforts continues in Uttarkashi’s Dharali village following the devastating cloudburst and flash flood that struck the region on August 5. Officials report that between 100 to 150 persons remain missing, feared trapped under massive debris. Complete rescue operations may take another four days to begin fully, due to the challenges posed by damaged infrastructure and the lack of critical equipment.
#WATCH | Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand | Drone visuals of the flash-flood affected Dharali village. SDRF, NDRF, and ITBP personnel are on the ground, rescuing the stranded people. pic.twitter.com/TqQNwNZD2s
— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2025
The disaster site spans around 80 acres, with debris as deep as 20 to 50 feet. Currently, only three JCB machines are in operation. Advanced equipment such as thermal sensing devices and heavy machinery needed for detecting and retrieving trapped individuals remains stranded 60 km away in Bhatwari due to blocked roads.
The sole route connecting Uttarkashi to Gangotri passes through Dharali, but 3 km of road from Harsil to Dharali is destroyed in four major spots, with sections wiped out up to 150 metre. Landslides and a collapsed bridge between Bhatwari and Harsil have delayed the arrival of rescue equipment. Officials estimate another three–four days before the road is restored for aid delivery.
Op Dharali | The Indian Army, in close coordination with the Indian Air Force, SDRF, NDRF, ITBP, BRO, and civil administration, continues to lead large-scale rescue and relief efforts in the flood and landslide-affected region of Dharali and Harsil in Uttarakhand under Operation… pic.twitter.com/0bW1L2qjs1 — ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2025
The disaster struck on August 5 at 1.45 pm, when a cloudburst over Dharali triggered a flash flood in the Kheer Ganga river. Within just 34 seconds, the surging water and debris engulfed the village. Five deaths have been confirmed, and 70 persons were initially rescued.
#WATCH | Uttarakhand | On the relief and rescue operations in Dharali and Harshil, Uttarkashi DM Prashant Arya says, "Yesterday we evacuated nearly 400 people. And today we aim to evacuate nearly 300 people. The process has begun and we have already evacuated nearly 75 people.… pic.twitter.com/Yq4pyDC197 — ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2025
Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya confirmed that around 400 persons were evacuated on Thursday, with another 300 targeted for evacuation today. By 9 am, 75 persons had already been safely rescued, and 53 persons had been airlifted from Dharali to ITBP’s Matli base. Relief materials are being distributed on-site, and efforts to restore electricity and Internet connectivity are underway.
An official of the SDRF confirmed that full-scale debris excavation has not yet begun due to lack of resources. However, mobile and Internet services have resumed in the Harsil valley, aiding coordination. Notably, debris in the area ranges from 20 to 60 feet, with more than 60 persons possibly buried underneath.
BRO Director Lt General Raghu Srinivasan stated that four major landslides and one broken bridge continue to block access to Dharali. Sources said a temporary bridge might be completed by Friday evening, but reaching Dharali by road could still take another three–four days.
#WATCH | Uttarakhand | Efforts are underway to reconstruct the bridge connecting Uttarkashi to Harsil. Visuals from Gagnani. pic.twitter.com/xac7aTm3I6 — ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2025
On the day of the disaster, around 500 tourists were present between Harsil and Gangotri. Over the past two days, the Army and NDRF have airlifted 307 stranded tourists, including 131 from Gujarat, 123 from Maharashtra, 21 from Madhya Pradesh, 12 from Uttar Pradesh, six from Rajasthan, 28 from Kerala, five from Karnataka, and three from Telangana.
Among those affected, 151 tourists from Maharashtra were confirmed to be in the region. As of now, 120 of them have been contacted and are safe at an ITBP camp, while the remaining 31 are still unaccounted for. These include tourists from Thane (5), Solapur (4), Ahilyanagar (1), Nashik (4), Malegaon (3), Charcop-Kandivali (6), Mumbai suburbs (6), and Titwala (2).
The Indian Army's two Engineer Regiments, under Captain Gurpreet Singh, were among the first to reach Dharali just 15–20 minutes after the cloudburst. Despite being technically equipped, the lack of machinery has slowed operations. Over 250–300 military and rescue personnel are currently involved in ongoing evacuation efforts, with a mission to rescue every trapped person within a week.
#IndianAirForce assets were swiftly pressed into action following flash floods in Harsil-Dharali valley, Uttarakhand. Chinook and Mi-17V5 helicopters of #IAF, along with C-295 & AN-32 transport aircraft, evacuated 226 civilians, inducted 130 NDRF/SDRF/IA personnel, and… pic.twitter.com/xyTIpXntlM — Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) August 8, 2025
To aid rescue work, a generator was airlifted from Dehradun to Harsil on Thursday using a Chinook helicopter.
Meanwhile, in light of the Dharali disaster and ongoing monsoon conditions, the Uttarakhand Government has suspended registrations for the Badrinath pilgrimage as of Thursday. The Kedarnath Yatra also remains suspended, leaving approximately 5,000 pilgrims stranded between Phata and Sonprayag.
#WATCH | Uttarakhand | Efforts are underway to reconstruct the bridge connecting the highway to Harsil. Drone visuals from Gagnani. pic.twitter.com/20oh86NCrx — ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2025
- With inputs from agencies
