Uttarakhand cloudburst: Village washed away, 4 dead, rescue relief on war footing
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Time of India
20 minutes ago
- Time of India
What Put Dharali In Harm's Way?
What Put Dharali In Harm's Way? Anjal Prakash Aug 7, 2025, 21:27 IST IST Climate change is big in the Himalayan region. But instead of mitigating risks, govts are aggravating these. Environmental clearances are undependable. So, local communities pay the price First and foremost, flash floods that wreaked havoc in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district on Tuesday underline the perils of neglecting ecological fragility in planning. Himalayas are sensitive to temperature rises, glaciers are retreating, and the terrain is increasingly prone to landslides and sudden floods. Post-2013 Kedarnath disaster, there was much talk about stricter regulation and ecological preservation. Yet, unchecked construction, hydropower projects and tourism infra have continued to mushroom, often ignoring environmental clearances. This recklessness has heightened the risk for vulnerable, local communities. Secondly, the event exposes the shortcomings of our early warning and disaster preparedness systems. The absence of an extensive network of Automatic Weather Stations (AWSs) and real-time monitoring means authorities are often reacting late, unable to evacuate or alert populations in time. According to a 2020 report by IMD, only about 150 AWSs are operational across the Himalayan region, far short of the needs dictated by a vast and fragile landscape.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Uttarakhand cloudbursts: 274 rescued so far - here's how state government carried out massive rescue operation
NEW DELHI: The rescue operations after the Uttarkashi cloudbursts gathered pace on Thursday with 274 people being rescued. The devastating natural disaster struck the Dharali-Uttarkashi and Harsil regions on August 5. Upon receiving reports of extensive damage and casualties, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Dhami , who was in Tirupati at the time, immediately ordered a war-footing response. The district administration, in coordination with the Army, NDRF, SDRF, police, fire services, and ITBP, swiftly began rescue efforts. The Prime Minister's Office and ministry of home affairs were also informed. By the evening of August 5, over 130 people had been rescued. The chief minister directed officials to ensure adequate arrangements for food, water, and shelter for those affected. Following reports of a lake forming in Harsil, the Army was instructed to assess and respond. MI-17 helicopters from the Air Force were also requested for rescue operations. Senior officials and former district magistrates were deployed to manage operations in the region. A large police contingent, including two IGPs, three SPs, one commandant, and over 300 personnel, was mobilized from across the state. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ad Dafniyah: Unsold Sofas Prices May Surprise You (Prices May Surprise You) Sofas | Search Ads Search Now Undo Additional disaster response units from PAC and IRB were also deployed. That night, the government released Rs 20 crore from the State Disaster Response Fund to support relief measures. On August 6, ten army personnel, including a Lieutenant Colonel, were rescued from Dharali. Two of the injured were airlifted to higher medical centers, while others were transported to AIIMS Rishikesh by road. CM Dhami stayed overnight in Uttarkashi, continued oversight of rescue operations, and ordered that heavy equipment be airlifted where roads were blocked. By August 7, shuttle helicopter services began between Matli and Harsil, using eight helicopters from UCADA. Affected individuals were flown to ITBP's Matli camp. CM Dhami met the rescued people and visited those hospitalized in Uttarkashi. 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 s ilver prices in your area.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
243 out of 359 blocked roads reopened; IASofficers to give one day's salary to CM fund
Dehradun: Out of the 359 blocked roads on Thursday, the Public Works Department (PWD) was successful in opening 243 roads for traffic movement. Efforts are continuing at a rapid pace to clear the remaining 116 blocked routes, officials said. PWD minister Satpal Maharaj said out of the 116 blocked routes, included one national highway, 11 state highways, nine main district roads, two other district roads, and 93 rural roads. A total of 514 machines have been deployed at various critical and potentially blocked locations to ensure the availability of routes for smooth traffic. "Executive engineers in all disaster-affected areas, including Dharali and Harsil, have been instructed to prioritize clearing the blocked routes," he added. Maharaj said that due to heavy rains, landslides have caused road blockages in several areas of the state. "Officers and employees from the PWD, National Highways, BRO and PMGSY are working tirelessly, using various machines to clear these roads," he added. He mentioned that continuous efforts are being made to quickly restore connectivity, communication networks and other links in disaster-affected areas. "There are reports of several tourists being stranded, and efforts are on to rescue them," he said, adding that in response to the disaster in Uttarkashi district's Harsil and Dharali, a shuttle service has been initiated between Matli and Harsil. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo "A total of 274 people have been safely brought to Harsil from Gangotri and other areas, while 35 individuals have been transported from Harsil to Jolly Grant Airport via Chinook helicopter," he added. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand IAS Association held a meeting on Thursday and it was decided that all IAS officers of the Himalayan state would contribute a day's salary towards the 'CM relief fund' for ongoing relief operations at Dharali. 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 s ilver prices in your area.
