Houses partially submerged due to a flash flood triggered by a cloudburst at Dharali, in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, Tuesday, August 5. PTI
Uttarakhand cloudbursts wreak havoc: 4 killed, 10 soldiers missing
Landslides across the state blocked 163 roads, including five national highways, seven state highways, and two border roads
Disaster swept through the Himalayan village of Dharali on the way to Gangotri on Tuesday (August 5) with a massive cloudburst leading to flashfloods that barrelled through homes, trees and cars, trapping 60-70 people and leaving at least four dead. According to the latest reports, at least 10 soldiers are also missing.
Dharali is the main stopover on way to Gangotri, the origin of the Ganges, and home to many hotels, restaurants and home stays.
At least half the village was buried under the fast-flowing mudslide of slush, rubble, and water, officials said as rescue personnel battled the elements in the ecologically fragile heights to contain the damage of the afternoon.
Buildings come down like a pack of cards
Contiguous buildings, including three and four-storey houses, fell like a pack of cards as the surging waters washed over them. The devastating flash floods came in the wake of a cloudburst somewhere in the catchment area of the Kheer Ganga river.
And Dharali was not the only hit. The raging waters flowed down two different sides of the same hill, one towards Dharali and the other towards the village of Sukki, said state Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman. The rain continued through the afternoon and till evening, hampering rescue efforts.
Besides, landslides blocked 163 roads, including five national highways, seven state highways and two border roads across the state, further impeding rescue and preventing personnel from getting to the far-flung area, about 140 km from the state capital Dehradun and usually a five-hour drive.
An Army team from the nearest location of Harsil was immediately rushed to the spot to launch rescue operations but teams from other places found it difficult to reach due to bad weather and disrupted roads, Suman said.
According to initial reports, at least four people have died, Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya told reporters in Dehradun before rushing to the spot.
There was no official confirmation on the number of people who went missing after the flashflood but it is likely to be high as the sudden rush of floodwaters gave people no time to run towards safety. As darkness fell, announcements were made asking people to move to safer ground.
Live Updates
- 5 Aug 2025 10:39 PM IST
There is grim news from the spot, although rescue work is in full swing. This Live has ended .
Read The Federal for all news updates.
- 5 Aug 2025 8:44 PM IST
Rain hampers rescue efforts
Flashfloods barrelled through homes, trees and cars, trapping 60-70 people.
Rain continued through the afternoon and till evening, hampering rescue efforts.
Landslides blocked 163 roads, including five national highways, seven state highways and two border roads across the state, further impeding rescue and preventing personnel from getting to the far-flung area, about 140 km from the state capital Dehradun and usually a five-hour drive.
- 5 Aug 2025 7:54 PM IST
What is a cloudburst?
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), rain falling at a rate of over 100 millimetres an hour with strong winds and lightning across 20-30 square kilometres of area is termed a cloudburst.
The Indian Himalayas are considered vulnerable to unusual and extreme weather events, including cloudbursts, extreme precipitation, flash floods, and avalanches, the risk of all of which is said to increase as climate change intensifies.
Occurrence of extreme weather events is frequent for locations at elevation 1,000-2,000 metres, "which are densely populated valley folds of the Himalayas", according to a 2023 paper by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Jammu, and National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee. Uttarkashi is located at about 1,160 metres above sea level.
Cloudburst events per unit area are "very high in Uttarakhand", compared to other regions in the Indian Himalayas, with recent events being more severe and impacting more communities, it said.
Researchers have called for concrete policies, planning and management of cloudburst events by national and global organisations.
- 5 Aug 2025 7:01 PM IST
Uttarkashi SP: People taken to safe places
Uttarkashi SP Sarita Doval said that people have been evacuated from their houses and taken to safe places.
"People have been taken out of their houses and taken to safe places. Local Police, SDRF, ITBP, and the Indian Army's Rajput Rifles jawans are present at the spot. Since there is another landslide on the way, some of our teams are stuck there," Doval said.
- 5 Aug 2025 6:46 PM IST
Priyanka Gandhi's appeal to Uttarakhand government
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra appealed to the Uttarakhand government to provide immediate help, relief and compensation to the victims.
"Hearing the news of some deaths and a large number of people missing in the cloudburst incident in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, has deeply saddened my heart," she said in a post in Hindi on X.
"My heartfelt condolences to the grieving families. I pray for the safe return of the missing people. I appeal to the state government to provide immediate help, relief, and compensation to the victims.
"I urge Congress leaders and workers to assist as much as possible in relief and rescue operations," she said.
- 5 Aug 2025 6:25 PM IST
Uttarakhand cloudburst helpline numbers
Helpline numbers
1. District Emergency Operation Centre, Haridwar – Helpline Numbers:
01374-222722, 7310913129, 7500737269
Toll-free no – 1077, ERSS Toll-free no – 112
2. State Emergency Operation Centre, Dehradun – Helpline Numbers:
0135-2710334, 2710335, 8218867005, 9058441404
Toll-Free No – 1070, ERSS Toll-Free No – 112
- 5 Aug 2025 6:23 PM IST
Rahul Gandhi urges administration to expedite relief, rescue operations
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday condoled the loss of lives due to a cloudburst in the high-altitude villages of Dharali in Uttarakhand and appealed to the administration to expedite relief and rescue operations.
The former Congress president requested party leaders and workers to cooperate with the administration in relief efforts and provide all possible assistance to those in need.
In a post in Hindi on X, Rahul said, "The news of many deaths and several others missing due to the severe devastation caused by a cloudburst in Dharali, Uttarakhand, is extremely saddening and concerning. I express my deepest condolences to the affected families and hope for the swift recovery of those who are missing." "I appeal to the administration to expedite relief and rescue operations. I request Congress leaders and workers to cooperate with the administration in relief efforts and provide all possible assistance to those in need," he said.
- 5 Aug 2025 6:09 PM IST
BJP MP says cloudburst incident 'very unfortunate'
BJP MP Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, speaking at the Parliament complex in New Delhi, said that a similar cloudburst incident had happened in 2013, and this time it is "much worse".
"It is a very unfortunate incident. This happened in 2013 as well in Uttarkashi, and this time it is much worse. We are seeing in the news that a similar cloudburst incident has also happened at a different location," Shah, who represents Tehri Garhwal constituency in Uttarakhand, told PTI.
- 5 Aug 2025 5:34 PM IST
40-50 properties damaged: Principal Secretary
Principal Secretary RK Sudhanshu said a bridge was washed away due to cloudburst, and road connectivity has been impacted.
He added that 40 to 50 properties have been damaged.
"Since road connectivity has been impacted, a bridge has been washed away, we are talking to the officials of BRO, PWD, our priority is to restore connectivity, the weather is bad at present, we are not able to provide relief, and rescue through helicopter services. But SDRF, Army are there... Prima facie, it seems that 40-50 properties have got damaged. We are trying to get further information, we will be acting accordingly," Sudhanshu told PTI.
