Uttarakhand is currently under a severe weather alert with heavy rainfall, leading to the issuance of Red and Orange alerts in numerous districts. As a precautionary measure, schools across nine districts have been closed. Several areas, including Bageshwar and Kotdwar, are experiencing heavy rainfall since this morning. In Uttarkashi, a cloudburst in Dharali village triggered a devastating flood in the Khir Ganga River, causing widespread destruction and necessitating extensive rescue operations.
The cloudburst in Dharali resulted in the destruction of the village. In a matter of 34 seconds, hundreds of 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. SDRF, NDRF, ITBP, and army teams are actively participating in rescue operations. Over 130 people have been rescued. The government has allocated 20 crore rupees for relief, rescue, and repair work.
The State Police Headquarters has reported the swift deployment of senior police officials and special police forces for disaster relief in Uttarkashi, including 2 IG, 3 SPs, one Commandant, 11 Deputy SPs, and 300 police officers.
Cloudbursts also occurred in Harshil and Sukki. Reports indicate that several army personnel are missing in Harshil. The army’s base camp has also been impacted by the heavy rainfall and flooding. Lieutenant Colonel Manish Srivastava stated that 11 soldiers are feared missing. Rescue operations are facing difficulties due to heavy rainfall and disruptions in connectivity, however, the army is actively involved in its operations.
Lieutenant Colonel Manish Srivastava reported that Colonel Harshvardhan, the Commanding Officer of 14 Rajrif, is personally leading the relief and rescue efforts in the aftermath of 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 unwavering determination. He also mentioned that 20 people have been rescued.
Rescue and relief efforts are ongoing, with heavy rainfall continuing in several areas of Uttarakhand, including Bageshwar and Kotdwar. Schools in nine districts of the state are closed today due to Red Alert and Orange Alert warnings.
Schools in Dehradun, Nainital, Tehri, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Champawat, Pauri, Almora, and Bageshwar districts are closed today. The order covers all educational institutions from classes 1 to 12 and Anganwadi centers.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami mentioned that phone, internet, and communication towers have been significantly damaged in the disaster-affected areas. Special Disaster Relief Units of PAC and IRB have been deployed. To intensify 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, consisting of 140 personnel, has been dispatched.
Furthermore, 160 police personnel, along with essential equipment, have been deployed from Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri, and Tehri to the affected areas.
Given the disaster, hospital beds have been reserved in district hospitals in Uttarkashi, Tehri, and Dehradun, as well as at Doon Medical College and AIIMS Rishikesh. The health department has been put on high alert, and doctors’ leaves have been suspended.
In addition, the administration is deploying machinery around the clock at all landslide zones. However, road blockages are resulting in delays, affecting senior district officials.
Meanwhile, JCB machinery is being utilized 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 intense rainfall in Uttarkashi is linked to a weather disturbance originating from the Mediterranean Sea. The pattern of the disaster in Uttarkashi mirrors the catastrophic floods in Kedarnath in 2013, with both events caused by a western disturbance from the Mediterranean Sea colliding with the Himalayas.