Uttarakhand is grappling with intense rainfall, prompting Red and Orange alerts across numerous districts. Schools in nine districts have been shut down as a safety precaution. Several regions, including Bageshwar and Kotdwar, have been experiencing heavy downpours since this morning. A cloudburst in Dharali village, Uttarkashi, caused a devastating flood in the Khir Ganga River, leading to extensive damage. The government and administration are actively involved in rescue and relief efforts.
The cloudburst in Dharali destroyed the village. Within just 34 seconds, hundreds of homes and hotels were buried under debris and swept away by the water. Four fatalities have been confirmed, and over 50 individuals are missing. The authorities anticipate that the death toll may increase. Teams from SDRF, NDRF, ITBP, and the army are actively participating in rescue operations. Over 130 people have been successfully rescued. The government has allocated 20 crore rupees for relief, rescue, and repair work.
The State Police Headquarters announced the swift deployment of senior police officials and specialized police forces for disaster relief in Uttarkashi, including 2 IG, 3 SPs, a Commandant, 11 Deputy SPs, and 300 police officers.
Cloudburst incidents also occurred in Harshil and Sukki. Reports indicate that several army personnel are missing in Harshil. The army base camp has also been affected by the rain and flooding. Lieutenant Colonel Manish Srivastava indicated that 11 soldiers are presumed missing. Rescue operations are facing difficulties due to heavy rainfall and disrupted communication, however the army is committed to its operations.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Manish Srivastava, Colonel Harshvardhan, the Commanding Officer of 14 Rajrif, is personally leading the relief and rescue efforts in the aftermath of the Dharali disaster. His team of 150 soldiers is working tirelessly on this challenging mission. Despite the impact on their unit’s base and the missing soldiers, the team continues to work with determination. He added that 20 people have been saved.
Simultaneously with the rescue and relief efforts, heavy rainfall persists in several areas of Uttarakhand, including Bageshwar and Kotdwar. Given the Red and Orange alerts for heavy rainfall, schools across nine districts in Uttarakhand are closed today.
Schools in the districts of Dehradun, Nainital, Tehri, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Champawat, Pauri, Almora, and Bageshwar will remain closed today. This order encompasses all educational institutions, from grades 1 to 12, and Anganwadi centers.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that phone lines, internet services, and communication towers have been severely impacted in the disaster-affected areas. Special Disaster Relief Units from PAC and IRB have been deployed. To enhance relief and rescue operations in Uttarkashi, a special disaster relief unit (E Company) from the 40th Battalion PAC and C Company from IRB-II, Dehradun, consisting of 140 personnel, have been dispatched.
In addition, 160 police personnel, along with essential equipment, have been deployed from Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri, and Tehri to the affected areas.
In light of the disaster, hospital beds have been reserved in the district hospitals of Uttarkashi, Tehri, and Dehradun, as well as at Doon Medical College and AIIMS Rishikesh. The health department has been placed on high alert, and doctors’ leaves have been suspended.
Furthermore, the administration is working to ensure the continuous presence of machinery at all landslide-prone zones. However, significant delays have been encountered on the roads, causing inconvenience for senior district officials.
Meanwhile, efforts are underway to clear roads obstructed by landslides on the Uttarkashi-Harshil route using JCB machinery.
A section of approximately 30 meters of road near Papadgad on the Gangotri Highway has collapsed, completely cutting off communication between the Harshil and Dharali regions and the district and tehsil headquarters.
It is believed that the heavy rainfall in Uttarkashi is linked to a disturbance originating from the Mediterranean Sea. The disaster in Uttarkashi shares similarities with the catastrophic floods in Kedarnath in 2013. Both events were associated with the collision of a western disturbance from the Mediterranean Sea with the Himalayas.