Uttarkashi: A massive cloudburst struck Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district on Tuesday, triggering a landslide. According to reports, a village was washed away after the cloudburst hit the Hasil area of Dharali. At least four people reportedly lost their lives, while around 50 people are missing in the flash floods.
Scary visuals of the cloudburst surfaced online. The video shows a strong water current flowing down the hills, leaving a trail of destruction behind. As per the Uttarkashi Police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Indian Army and other agencies are engaged in relief operations.
Visuals From The Spot:
The cloudburst took place in the catchment area of the Kheer Ganga river, leading to the devastating floods.
"In Uttarkashi, due to the rising water level of Kheer Gadh in the Harsil area, reports of damage in Dharali have prompted police, SDRF, army, and other disaster response teams to engage in relief and rescue operations at the site," the police said.
About 10-12 people could be buried under the debris, Rajesh Panwar, a villager, told PTI. He said 20-25 hotels and homestays may have been washed away. At least 150 Indian Army personnel are reportedly deployed for the rescue operation.
"The District Magistrate and SP have both left for the spot. There is a possibility of loss of life and property. We have sent SDRF as well as NDRF, and we are doing an assessment first, and as soon as we come to know the level of damage, action will be taken accordingly,"Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, RK Sudhanshu told ANI.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday forecast extremely heavy rainfall at several places over Uttarakhand.
Union Home Minister called Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar SIngh Dhami and took stock of the situation. "Spoke with the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand regarding the flash flood incident in Dharali (Uttarkashi) to gather information about the event. Three nearby ITBP teams have been sent there, and four NDRF teams have also been dispatched to the site, which will soon arrive and engage in rescue operations," Shah said.
