More than 100 people are missing and at least one person has died after flash floods hit a mountain village in northern India’s Uttarakhand state on Tuesday.
A sudden cloudburst in Uttarkashi district caused the Kheerganga river to overflow, sending thick muddy water rushing through Dharali village. The floods destroyed roads, swept away buildings, and left behind piles of sludge and debris.
“So far, around 130 people have been rescued,” Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Wednesday morning.
At least 10 soldiers based at a nearby army camp in Harsil are also missing, according to officials.
Dharali, a small tourist village located just 2km from Harsil, is now almost cut off as damaged roads and heavy rainfall continue to slow down rescue operations. Teams from the state and national disaster response forces reached the village on Tuesday, but contact has been difficult due to power cuts and poor network coverage.
Photos shared by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police show rescue workers carrying elderly residents through thick mud. Officials say they have rescued 37 people from Dharali village so far.
The Indian weather department has warned of more heavy rain in the coming days and urged people to avoid travelling to landslide-prone areas. Some schools in the state have also been shut.
The flash floods have blocked part of the Bhagirathi river, creating an artificial lake that has swallowed large areas of land, including a government helipad. Officials fear the water buildup could become dangerous if not drained quickly.
The village, which usually gets busy during summer for the Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage, had fewer visitors this season due to heavy rain warnings.
A resident said, “If the tourist crowd was here, it would have been worse. We’re lucky the warnings kept people away.”
Uttarakhand often faces disasters during the monsoon. In 2013, floods and landslides destroyed entire towns in the state, killing thousands. In 2021, over 200 people also died in similar flash floods.
