Uttarakhand is currently experiencing heavy rainfall, leading to the issuance of Red and Orange alerts across several districts. As a precautionary measure, schools in nine districts have been shut down. Areas like Bageshwar and Kotdwar have seen significant rainfall since this morning. In Uttarkashi, a cloudburst in Dharali village caused a devastating flood in the Khir Ganga River, resulting in extensive damage and prompting widespread rescue efforts.
The cloudburst in Dharali resulted in the destruction of the village. Within a mere 34 seconds, numerous homes and hotels were buried under debris and swept away by floodwaters. The disaster has resulted in four confirmed deaths, with over 50 people reported missing. Authorities anticipate a potential rise in the death toll. Teams from SDRF, NDRF, ITBP, and the army are actively participating in rescue operations, with over 130 individuals already rescued. The government has allocated 20 crore rupees for relief, rescue, and repair work.
The State Police Headquarters reported the swift deployment of senior police officials and specialized police forces for disaster relief in Uttarkashi. This includes 2 IG, 3 SPs, one Commandant, 11 Deputy SPs, and 300 police officers.
Cloudburst incidents have also occurred in Harshil and Sukki. Reports indicate that several army personnel are missing in Harshil. The army base camp has also been impacted by the rain and flooding. According to Lieutenant Colonel Manish Srivastava, 11 soldiers are feared missing. Rescue operations are hampered by heavy rain and disrupted connectivity, but the army is actively involved in its operations.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Manish Srivastava, Colonel Harshvardhan, the Commanding Officer of 14 Rajrif, is personally leading the relief and rescue efforts following the Dharali disaster. His team of 150 soldiers is working 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.
Rescue and relief efforts are ongoing while heavy rainfall continues in various regions of Uttarakhand, including Bageshwar and Kotdwar. Schools are closed in nine districts of the state today, following Red Alert and Orange Alert warnings.
Schools will be closed today in Dehradun, Nainital, Tehri, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Champawat, Pauri, Almora, and Bageshwar districts. This encompasses all educational institutions from classes 1 to 12 and Anganwadi centers.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami highlighted that phone, internet, and communication towers have sustained significant damage in the affected areas. Special Disaster Relief Units of PAC and IRB have been deployed. To accelerate relief and rescue operations in Uttarkashi, a special disaster relief unit (E Company) of the 40th Battalion PAC and C Company of IRB-II, Dehradun, totaling 140 personnel, have been dispatched.
In addition, 160 police personnel, along with necessary equipment, have been deployed from Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri, and Tehri to assist in the affected areas.
Considering the severity 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 is on high alert, and doctors’ leaves have been suspended.
In addition, the administration is deploying machinery 24/7 at all landslide zones. However, delays are occurring due to persistent road issues that are affecting senior district officials.
Meanwhile, JCB machinery is being used to clear roads blocked by landslides on the Uttarkashi-Harshil route.
Approximately 30 meters of road near Papadgad on the Gangotri Highway has collapsed, isolating the Harshil and Dharali areas from the district and tehsil headquarters.
It is believed that the extreme rainfall in Uttarkashi is connected to a disturbance originating from the Mediterranean Sea. The pattern of the disaster in Uttarkashi mirrors the catastrophic floods in Kedarnath in 2013, with both events triggered by a western disturbance from the Mediterranean Sea colliding with the Himalayas.
