Breaking News Live Updates: Over 130 rescued as cloudburst triggers devastation in Uttarkashi; CM Dhami assures full support to affected people
Breaking News Live Updates: Flash floods triggered by twin cloudbursts have caused extensive destruction in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district. The worst-hit village of Dharali saw markets wiped out and homes swept away. Over 50 people are feared missing, with several confirmed rescues. Breaking News Live Updates: Two separate cloudbursts struck Uttarkashi district in Uttarakhand on Tuesday — one in Dharali and another near Sukhi Top. Dharali took the brunt of the disaster. Torrents of water, debris, and mud cascaded through the area, sweeping away homes, shops, and roads. The local market in Dharali was 'completely swept away', officials confirmed. In the nearby Kheer Gadh area, a mudslide pushed heavy debris through the settlement, worsening the damage.Multiple lives are feared lost. According to initial reports, more than 50 people remain missing. DIG (Ops) of NDRF West Central Zone, Mohsen Shahedi, said, 'The incident took place around 2 PM in Harsil town. Three teams of NDRF were sent to the spot. There are 35 members in each team, and they are well-equipped to rescue the people trapped there. According to the initial reports, around 40-50 houses have been washed away, and more than 50 people are missing.'
Rescue operations in full swing Indian Army personnel, along with the NDRF, SDRF and ITBP, are on the ground leading search and rescue. Colonel Harshvardhan of the 14 Rajput Rifles is heading a team of 150 soldiers in rescue efforts, even as their own base has been damaged and 11 of their members remain unaccounted for.'Despite being cut off and the unit's base being adversely affected, and 11 personnel feared missing, the team continues to operate with unwavering determination. 20 people have been rescued so far. In the meantime, additional columns are being moved to be pressed into rescue operations,' said the Defence PRO in a statement.Choppers, including Chinooks and Mi-17 V5s, are on standby at the Air Force base in Chandigarh. "The choppers are ready with the required equipment and material and would take off as soon as the weather clears up in the affected areas," officials said.On the ground, SDRF teams have brought in specialised gear — from thermal imaging and victim location cameras to drones and cutting tools — to assist in locating those trapped or missing.
Critical infrastructure crippled Power lines have collapsed, internet and mobile networks are down, and road access is broken in many parts of the affected zones. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who flew back from Andhra Pradesh immediately after the disaster, said, 'Our effort is to ensure that all types of services are available there. The electricity department and our Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam are working together there. Restoring electricity is also our priority. It will be done by tonight. Along with this, the towers have also been affected. Due to the connectivity issues, phone and internet facilities have been disrupted there, so we are taking immediate action. The people who are facing this natural disaster, the government is standing with them. The government will provide all kinds of support to all of them…'He held a meeting with senior officials at the State Emergency Operation Centre in Dehradun to review the situation. 'Our priority as of now is to save lives,' he said.
Centre assures full support Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X after speaking to CM Dhami: 'I express my condolences to the people affected by this tragedy in Dharali, Uttarkashi. Along with this, I pray for the well-being of all the victims. I have spoken to Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami and obtained information about the situation.'Union Home Minister Amit Shah also stepped in, promising full central support and confirming the deployment of ITBP and NDRF teams.Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reached out to CM Dhami to offer assistance from the neighbouring state. Show more External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday met German Member of Parliament Jurgen Hardt in New Delhi and discussed growing bilateral ties and recent global developments. In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, "Always nice to catch up with German MP @juergenhardt. Discussed our bilateral cooperation and global developments."
South Korea's Industry Minister said on Wednesday that Seoul needs to hold further discussions with Washington on the timing of the promised tariff cuts on South Korea's car exports to the U.S. from the current 25%.President Donald Trump said last week the U.S. will charge a 15% tariff on imports from South Korea, including autos, as part of a deal that eases tensions with a top-10 trading partner and key Asian ally. Uttarkashi cloudburst incident | Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal says, "It is a tragic incident. Every year, Uttarakhand faces such incidents. These are natural incidents. Today, cloudbursts have happened at three places. But the rescue teams are there, rescuing people...Due to the darkness at night, the rescue operation could slow down. But the government is working as much as it can. The center is also providing requisite help...The CM and administration are also working to provide relief work..." Francis Ford Coppola, the acclaimed American director of "The Godfather" movies and "Apocalypse Now," underwent a non-emergency medical procedure by appointment on Tuesday at a hospital in Rome and is doing fine, according to a U.S.-based representative."Mr. Coppola went in for a scheduled update procedure with acclaimed Dr. Andrea Natale, his doctor of over 30 years, and is resting nicely," the representative said in response to Italian media reports that the director was hospitalised. "All is well."The 86-year-old filmmaker was admitted to the Policlinico Tor Vergata, a public hospital in the Italian capital, news agency ANSA reported.The U.S. based representative declined to give any details about the nature of Coppola's medical procedure, but said: "There was not an emergency. He went to the hospital in a car."
- US President Donald Trump As the United States ramps up tariffs on major trading partners globally, President Donald Trump is also disrupting strategies that could be used -- by Chinese companies or others -- to circumvent them.Goods deemed to be "transshipped," or sent through a third country with lower export levies, will face an additional 40-percent duty under an incoming wave of Trump tariffs Thursday.The latest tranche of "reciprocal" tariff hikes, taking aim at what Washington deems unfair trade practices, impacts dozens of economies from Taiwan to India.The transshipment rule does not name countries, but is expected to impact China significantly given its position as a manufacturing powerhouse.Washington likely wants to develop supply chains that are less reliant on China, analysts say, as tensions simmer between the world's two biggest economies and the US sounds the alarm on Beijing's excess industrial capacity. The ancient Kalp Kedar temple here was buried in the debris brought over by the flash flood in the Kheer Ganga river on Tuesday. The temple remained buried under ground for many years, possibly due to a previous disaster, with only its tip visible over ground. Built in the Kature style, the architecture of the Shiva temple is similar to that of Kedarnath Dham.An excavation led to its discovery in 1945. After digging several feet underground, an ancient Shiva temple was found whose structure was similar to Kedarnath temple.The temple was below the ground level and devotees had to go down to offer prayers in the temple. People say that some water from the Kheer Ganga would often drift onto the 'shivling' installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and a path had been created for it. There are stone carvings outside the temple. Two separate cloudbursts struck Uttarkashi district in Uttarakhand on Tuesday — one in Dharali and another near Sukhi Top. Dharali took the brunt of the disaster. Torrents of water, debris, and mud cascaded through the area, sweeping away homes, shops, and roads. The local market in Dharali was 'completely swept away', officials confirmed. In the nearby Kheer Gadh area, a mudslide pushed heavy debris through the settlement, worsening the damage.Multiple lives are feared lost. According to initial reports, more than 50 people remain missing. DIG (Ops) of NDRF West Central Zone, Mohsen Shahedi, said, 'The incident took place around 2 PM in Harsil town. Three teams of NDRF were sent to the spot. There are 35 members in each team, and they are well-equipped to rescue the people trapped there. According to the initial reports, around 40-50 houses have been washed away, and more than 50 people are missing.'Rescue operations in full swingIndian Army personnel, along with the NDRF, SDRF and ITBP, are on the ground leading search and rescue. Colonel Harshvardhan of the 14 Rajput Rifles is heading a team of 150 soldiers in rescue efforts, even as their own base has been damaged and 11 of their members remain unaccounted for.'Despite being cut off and the unit's base being adversely affected, and 11 personnel feared missing, the team continues to operate with unwavering determination. 20 people have been rescued so far. In the meantime, additional columns are being moved to be pressed into rescue operations,' said the Defence PRO in a statement.Choppers, including Chinooks and Mi-17 V5s, are on standby at the Air Force base in Chandigarh. "The choppers are ready with the required equipment and material and would take off as soon as the weather clears up in the affected areas," officials said.On the ground, SDRF teams have brought in specialised gear — from thermal imaging and victim location cameras to drones and cutting tools — to assist in locating those trapped or missing.Critical infrastructure crippledPower lines have collapsed, internet and mobile networks are down, and road access is broken in many parts of the affected zones. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who flew back from Andhra Pradesh immediately after the disaster, said, 'Our effort is to ensure that all types of services are available there. The electricity department and our Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam are working together there. Restoring electricity is also our priority. It will be done by tonight. Along with this, the towers have also been affected. Due to the connectivity issues, phone and internet facilities have been disrupted there, so we are taking immediate action. The people who are facing this natural disaster, the government is standing with them. The government will provide all kinds of support to all of them…'He held a meeting with senior officials at the State Emergency Operation Centre in Dehradun to review the situation. 'Our priority as of now is to save lives,' he said.Centre assures full supportPrime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X after speaking to CM Dhami: 'I express my condolences to the people affected by this tragedy in Dharali, Uttarkashi. Along with this, I pray for the well-being of all the victims. I have spoken to Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami and obtained information about the situation.'Union Home Minister Amit Shah also stepped in, promising full central support and confirming the deployment of ITBP and NDRF teams.Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reached out to CM Dhami to offer assistance from the neighbouring state.
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Himachal Pradesh: Apple truck rolls down highway point hit by landslide hours later
Kullu: At least one person was feared dead when a pick-up truck rolled down the Kiratpur-Manali highway at the landslide-hit Jogini Mod near Himachal Pradesh's Pandoh at 2.30am on Wednesday. The pickup truck was loaded with apples, and it is not yet clear how many people were travelling in it at the time of the incident. A team from the Himachal Pradesh state disaster response force (SDRF) was still carrying out a search for any survivors of the accident along the Beas, but without success. The accident took place just hours before a landslide hit the same place, blocking the highway for close to nine hours. It could be reopened only in the evening, even as heavy rain continued to pound the hill state and trigger devastating flash floods. Due to the landslide-caused blockade, hundreds of vehicles were stuck in a jam on either side of the busy highway. The alternate Kamand-Kataula road also remained blocked. Most stranded vehicles included goods carriers and tourist cars. In Kullu, a flash flood in the Peej rivulet caused damage in nearby Shastri Nagar in the early hours of Wednesday. Floodwater entered homes and damaged many vehicles. Floodwater also brought along debris into houses and shops. All locals vacated their homes and stayed outside until the flood receded. Educational institutions were shut in Amb and Gagret subdivisions of Una as a precautionary measure. Similar orders were issued for Manali and Banjar in Kullu, and for areas in Mandi district due to flash floods, cloudbursts and landslides. In Una, water entered many residential areas, shops, offices, and a govt school. The Swan river was in spate following a continuous downpour. The rising water of the Swan also partially submerged parts of the Pandoga-Tyudi bridge, which is being built at a cost of Rs 52 crore. At many places, water from the overflowing Swan also entered agricultural lands and roads. D'shala ropeway ops suspended Kangra deputy commissioner Hemraj Bairwa, during the day, ordered to temporarily suspend all ropeway operations in Dharamshala, following a landslide. "A landslide occurred near Pillar 5 of the ropeway, which could pose a serious threat to passenger safety if the ropeway continues to operate," said Bairwa. The DC also directed the ropeway's operating agency to ensure compliance with the orders and instructed the sub-divisional magistrate (civil), Dharamshala, to constitute a technical committee, which will include geological experts from the Central University Dharamshala, representatives from various departments, and the Dharamshala municipal corporation. The committee will conduct a site inspection and submit its report within two days. The DC said that based on the report, a decision will be taken on whether to continue the suspension of ropeway activities or to resume them. 366 roads blocked According to the Himachal Pradesh state emergency operations centre (SEOC), a total of 366 roads remained blocked in the state on Wednesday, with the highest number being 174 in Mandi, 125 in Kullu, 22 in Sirmaur, 21 in Kangra, and 10 in Una. The Mandi-Pathankot and Aut-Jalori Jot highways were also blocked due to landslides on Wednesday. 929 transformers out of order Many parts of the state faced power outages as 929 transformers were non-functional, with the highest number being 529 in Una district, 281 in Kullu, and 98 in Mandi district. A total of 139 water supply schemes were still to be restored, with the highest number being 60 in Mandi district and 56 in Kullu district. Box: Highway blocked, fruit markets closed The Kullu Fruit Growers' Association (KFGA) has decided to keep the fruit markets in Patlikuhal and Bandrol closed on Thursday and Friday respectively due to the prevailing condition of the Kiratpur-Manali highway. The association advised fruit growers to wait for a few days before bringing their apple crop to the market. "Traders are not able to transport apples they bought from the local markets as all their trucks are stuck on the highway between Kullu and Mandi. Also, the apple market is down as traders don't want to buy anything they can't transport. In such a scenario, it's better to wait and watch instead of flooding the market with apples," said Prem Sharma, president of KFGA. The association has repeatedly urged the NHAI to have more manpower and machinery, so that the blocked highway could be cleared as soon as possible. The Kiratpur-Manali national highway has mostly remained blocked in Aug, the month when apple harvesting starts in Kullu. Trucks loaded with apples have been stuck on the highway between Takoli and Mandi for days now, and traders are reluctant to buy more apple before the highway is opened permanently. Farmers and traders, who transport vegetables, have suffered huge losses in the past weeks, as their produce, mostly peas and cauliflowers, rotted in the local markets or on the highway. Rajiv Thakur, a member of the KFGA, said that the alternate Kamand-Kataula link road should be made one-way to allow the transportation of goods and crops. "The highway closure is causing huge losses to farmers and traders. Until the highway is permanently reopened, the Mandi administration should allow one-way traffic on an hourly basis so that the movement of goods carriers is not affected," said Thakur. MSID:: 123411214 413 | Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Monsoon fury in Himachal: Driver swept away after truck falls in Beas; shooting stone claims life of UP pilgrim
A pilgrim from Uttar Pradesh lost his life after being hit by a shooting stone on Kinnaur Kailash Yatra route, police said here on Wednesday. Vehicles Stuck in debris after flashfloods in Kullu on Wednesday. (Aqil Khan/HT) Gaurav, 31, was a resident of Ghaziabad. According to reports, police received information on August 19 that a man sustained injuries due to a shooting stone between Maling Khata and Ganesh Gufa. Police team rushed to the spot and found the body. The body was shifted to regional hospital, Reckongpeo. The post-mortem was conducted on Wednesday after which the body was handed over to his relatives. A driver went missing after his truck loaded with apples plunged into swollen Beas river on the Kiratpur-Manali 4 lane near Jogni Mor in Pandoh area of Mandi district on Wednesday morning, said officials. Pandoh police post in-charge Anil Katoch confirming the same said that the accident took place around 3 am. Police and SDRF teams reached the spot and started the rescue operation. Most of the vehicle has been swept away in the strong current and only a few pieces of the vehicle are visible outside the river. At present it is not clear how many people were in the vehicle. Police and relief teams are continuously conducting search operations, but no trace of any person has been found yet, he said. Meanwhile, in Kullu flashfloods in the Nallah in Shastri Nagar damaged houses and vehicles, triggering panic among locals. However, there was no loss of life, Kullu municipal council president Mahant Gopal Dass said. On Monday night, following incidents of cloudbursts, flashfloods and landslides a foot bridge in Silbhudhani village of Mandi district was washed away, a statement issued by the sub-divisional magistrate said. Meanwhile water entered houses and shops in Una and Amb owing to rains. 366 roads, along with 2 national highways blocked A total of 366 roads, along with 2 national highways, were closed for vehicular traffic on Wednesday. Among these, 174 roads were closed in Mandi district and 125 in the adjoining Kullu, the state emergency operation centre (SEOC) informed. National highway (NH) 305 was blocked at Jhed due to sinking of road near Jhedkhang, even the alternate route via Kandugad was also blocked. Due to landslides triggered by heavy rains Mandi-Jogindernagar road (NH 154) were closed, it said. Mandi-Kullu road (NH 21) which was blocked during the morning has been opened for traffic through single lane. Mandi deputy commissioner Apoorv Devgan said that two mobile medical vans have been deployed for the convenience of passengers between Pandoh and Aut on the Kiratpur-Manali NH. Services of a doctor, pharmacist and lab attendant will be available in each van. Apart from this, a doctor and a pharmacist have also been temporarily deployed in Aut, so that immediate health facilities can be provided to the passengers in case of emergency. Relief camps have been set up at Bachat Bhawan in Aut, near Hanogi Tunnel and Baba Balak Nath Temple Pandoh. Free arrangements for food, water and accommodation have been made for the passengers here. Along with this, the administration has also made arrangements to deliver food and water to the people stranded between Thalaut, Aut, Hanogi and Pandoh through vehicles. The DC said that all the hotel and restaurant operators registered with the tourism department on Mandi-Kullu NH have been instructed to provide toilet facilities free of cost to the stranded tourists and other passengers. Toll suspended for a month After Mandi, toll fee collection at Baloh and Garamora toll plazas on the Kiratpur–Nerchowk four-lane highway has been suspended for one month. Earlier, minister for town and country planning, housing and technical education Rajesh Dharmani called on CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in the assembly complex and raised the matter. The minister highlighted that when major stretches of the highway remain partially or fully blocked, it is not justified to charge toll fees . He urged that toll collection be suspended in the larger public interest. The CM assured that the issue would be taken up seriously and necessary steps would be taken in coordination with the National Highways Authority of India and other concerned departments. Subsequently, later in the evening, DC and chairperson of the district disaster management authority, Rahul Kumar, issued orders under Section 34 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, suspending toll collection at Baloh and Garamora toll plazas with immediate effect for a period of one month. No respite from rain The local meteorological office issued an orange alert predicting few spells of light rain with one or two moderate/intense spells very likely over some parts of Solan, Shimla, Mandi, Kangra, Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur and Sirmaur districts. While few spells of light rain with one or two spells moderate spells very likely in other parts of the state. Meanwhile, the death toll in Himachal rain-related incidents this monsoon has gone up to 280 since June 20. According to the Himachal Pradesh state disaster management authority, 145 fatalities were caused by landslides, flash floods, drowning, and electrocution, while 135 people died in road accidents during the season. The state has incurred losses to the tune of ₹2,28 crore, officials said.
New Indian Express
18 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Andhra Pradesh on high alert as heavy rains swell Krishna, Godavari, Tungabhadra rivers
VIJAYAWADA: In response to heavy rains and rising floodwaters in the Krishna, Godavari, and Tungabhadra river basins, Special Chief Secretary of Disaster Management G Jaya Lakshmi has directed all district collectors to remain on high alert. She emphasised the need for continuous vigilance and proactive measures to prevent any untoward incidents in low-lying areas. During a teleconference on Tuesday, Jaya Lakshmi instructed officials to immediately shift residents from flood-prone areas to rehabilitation centres, ensuring that essential supplies, medicine, and sanitation materials are readily available. She announced that Rs 16 crore has been sanctioned to 16 affected districts under TR-27 for relief activities, including the evacuation of victims, and the provision of safe drinking water, food, and medical camps. She confirmed that State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are on standby in key locations, including Avanigadda in Krishna district, Vijayawada and Krishna Ghat in NTR district, Chintur in Alluri district, and Amalapuram in Konaseema district.
