
Uttarkashi cloudbursts: Rescuers resume search for missing people in Dharali village
Nearly half of the picturesque Dharali village was ravaged by the flash flood on Tuesday afternoon.
The village is the main stopover on the way to Gangotri, from where the Ganga originates Four deaths have so far been confirmed in the flash flood, which followed a cloudburst.
Around 130 people have been evacuated to safety. Not a single body has yet been retrieved from the rubble.
The Indian Army has deployed its MI-17 and Chinook helicopters to look for the stranded.
At least 60 people are said to have gone missing, but the number is likely higher, as many had gathered for the Har Dudh fair in Dharali village when the tragedy struck.
The missing also include 11 soldiers, Defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Shrivastava said.
Colonel Harshvardhan, Commanding Officer of 14 Raj Rif, is leading the relief and rescue operations with a 150-soldier team.
Despite its soldiers going missing and its base being hit, the team is working with full courage and determination, Shrivastava said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Bailey bridge to restore connectivity in flood-hit Uttarkashi nears completion: Officials
Uttarkashi, Construction of a vital Bailey bridge along the Gangotri National Highway, aimed at restoring connectivity to the disaster-hit areas of Uttarkashi and transport food supplies to affected people, was in its final stages on Sunday, with officials expecting it to be ready later in the afternoon. Bailey bridge to restore connectivity in flood-hit Uttarkashi nears completion: Officials A Bailey bridge is a kind of modular bridge that can be quickly assembled with pre-built parts. Authorities have stepped up efforts to supply relief materials to those stranded by the devastating mudslide in Kheer Ganga on Tuesday that tore through homes and hotels and left a trail of destruction in its wake. The district administration has confirmed four deaths in the tragedy, the recovery of two bodies and 49 people are missing since the disaster. The sixth day of rescue operations to evacuate the stranded and find the missing was delayed till 10 am on Sunday due to bad weather. Home Secretary Shailesh Bagauli directed authorities to supply 2,000 litres of diesel per day to Dharali and ensure that LPG cylinders are given to the affected. Horses and mules are also being used to transport essential supplies until roads are repaired and become operational, he said. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami flagged off nearly half a dozen vehicles carrying disaster relief material from his camp office in Dehradun for the affected people in Dharali. Dispatched by Kotak Mahindra Bank, under a CSR initiative, for relief and rehabilitation in Dharali, the raw rations, including flour, rice, pulses, spices, edible oil and essential items of daily use like toothpaste, bathing and washing soaps, are sufficient for 10 to 12 days. The chief minister thanked the bank for providing relief materials and said there will be no shortage of rations, he said. Officials said the Bailey bridge, being built over Limchagad between Gangnani and Dharali, is in its final phase and is likely to be ready by Sunday afternoon. It will help restore connectivity to the affected areas, they said. Blockages along the highway at Songad, Dabrani, Harsil and Dharali due to erosion by the Bhagirathi river or landslide debris are also being cleared on a war footing, they added. However, bad weather on Sunday morning delayed the evacuation of stranded people by helicopters, which could start off only by 10 am. More than 1,000 people had been evacuated by Saturday. Medical teams, including specialist doctors, are stationed in the disaster-affected area to continuously provide their services. A large amount of food and relief material is being sent to Harsil helipad from Matli helipad for the affected people in helicopters. The helicopters have made more than 260 sorties since the start of rescue operations on August 7. Eight helicopters are being operated from Matli helipad. Apart from them, Chinook, Mi-17, ALH-1 and Cheetah helicopters of the Army are also providing support in the airlifting operation from the Chinyalisaur airstrip. The search for the missing in the flood-ravaged Dharali also continued, with the help of SDRF sniffer dogs and state-of-the-art equipment such as victim locating and thermal imaging cameras. The SDRF is also preparing to deploy its divers with rafts to aid the ongoing search operations, officials said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

NDTV
16 hours ago
- NDTV
Evacuation In Disaster-Hit Uttarakashi Underway, 816 Rescued So Far
Dharali: After the devastating flash-floods that hit Dharali and Harsil, 816 civilians have been rescued by the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) till Saturday, according to a release. The road access has also been opened till Limchigad, and the work on a 90-ft Bailey Bridge is in progress. According to the release, today's rescue air plan includes deployment of two Mi-17 and one Chinook from Dharasu for stores and personnel induction, with eight civil helicopters from Matli continuing civilian evacuation. Under 'Operation Dharali,' the Indian Army has been victorious in its efforts to restore mobile and internet connectivity in Uttarakhand's Harsil. The Army managed to repair an optical fibre cable, meant for Army communication, which was damaged by flash floods. Army signalers carried out the repair work amidst ongoing rescue-operation" rescue operations in Dharali, ensuring communication links for the area. Indian Army canine teams have also been deployed to assist in search tasks in coordination with Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Zevar radar, and reconnaissance radars as part of the ongoing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. The canine teams have been actively engaged in search operations for the past three days, significantly contributing to locating individuals and supporting overall rescue efforts in the challenging terrain. A large number of supplies, rations and essential materials have been sent to the flood-affected areas in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi, an official said earlier today. At least five people have been reported dead, and 50 are still missing. The SDRF has been actively involved in the rescue operations, utilising state-of-the-art equipment, including a victim-locating camera and a thermal imaging camera.


Hindustan Times
18 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Uttarkashi tragedy: Over 1000 people rescued; search ops continue
Uttarkashi: Rescue teams have airlifted more than 1,000 people to safety from disaster-hit Dharali and Harsil to Uttarkashi town and Dehradun. The rescued include both local residents and pilgrims from across the country, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Saturday, hailing the effort as 'a race against nature that we could not afford to lose.' More than 1,000 people, including locals and pilgrims from across the country, have been rescued from disaster-hit Dharali and Harshil. Dhami said, 'More than 1,000 people, including locals and pilgrims from across the country, have been rescued from disaster-hit Dharali and Harshil despite persistent bad weather and challenging terrain'. According to officials, of 449 people rescued on Saturday, 296 people were airlifted from Harsil-Dharali to Matli Uttarkashi, and another 153 were flown to Chinyalisaur in Uttarkashi using Chinook, MI-17 and ALH (advanced light helicopter) helicopters. The latest airlifts have pushed the total number of people rescued from the region to more than 1,000 since operations began earlier this week. Dhami said the evacuation of stranded residents and tourists was the government's top priority in the aftermath of the flash floods that struck the region earlier this week. 'The operation was carried out under extremely difficult conditions, but our teams worked tirelessly to ensure everyone's safety,' he said. The rescuers from NDRF, SDRF and ITBP, local police continued combing of damaged buildings and affected area using victim-locating cameras, thermal imaging devices,drones, ground penetrating radars and dog squads. However, till the writing of this report, no body had been recovered on Saturday. So far, two bodies have been recovered since Tuesday. Dhami said essential supplies-medicines, milk, ration and clothing-have reached the affected villages. 'Power supply in Harshil has been restored through UREDA's (Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency ) powerhouse, while UPCL (Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited )teams continue to repair damaged power lines. Mobile connectivity has improved and two 125 KV generator sets have also been stationed in the disaster zone. Road links are being restored, with a Bailey bridge under rapid construction in Gangnani, and the road to Harsil expected to reopen by Tuesday. Dhami also announced that all affected families will receive free ration for six months. 'Those whose homes have been completely destroyed will be given ₹5 lakh for rehabilitation or relocation. A three-member committee headed by the Revenue Secretary has been formed to assess the losses and prepare a comprehensive rehabilitation plan, which will also include damage to apple orchards', he said. The CM added that disaster damage was also reported from Sainji and Bankura villages in Pauri district, where affected residents will also receive the same ₹5 lakh assistance. 'Wherever disaster has struck in the state, we will ensure every possible help reaches the people,' he said. Dhami thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for assuring full central assistance and supporting state-led relief operations. 'With the cooperation of the Centre, we are working on a war footing to save lives, restore services and rebuild communities,' he said. Efforts to restore road connectivity between Uttarkashi town Harsil were impeded due to heavy overnight rains. State police officials said the Aungi road stretch near Bhatwadi, which was blocked due to a landslide on Friday night, was reopened on Saturday with the help of Public Works Department (PWD) machinery, including JCBs and Pokland excavators. The restored stretch has enabled smooth vehicle movement up to the Bailey bridge, which is under construction at Limchigad. PWD engineers are racing to complete the Limchigad Bailey bridge by late Saturday night, said officials. Once the bridge is in place, PWD's heavy machines stationed at Bhatwadi will be deployed to rebuild two washed-out stretches, measuring 250 metres and 300 metres, in the Son Gad area, between Bhatwadi and Harsil. Officials said this will allow vehicle movement into the affected area, improving supply lines for relief and rehabilitation. Efforts to restore communication have been also intensified pace. An Airtel team was airlifted to the region on Saturday along with 100 litres of fuel to power their operations. This is expected to bring two Airtel towers back online and will improve mobile connectivity in Harsil and Dharali, which have been affected since the disaster struck . Also, heavy-gauge wires have been flown in with the Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) team to Harsil. Authorities said the consignment will enable to complete the restoration of the electricity supply to the affected areas in the coming days.