Village Washed Away, Several Missing After Cloudburst in Uttarkashi

The cloudburst caused a sudden surge in water levels, particularly in the Kheer Gadh stream, sweeping away parts of a village and inflicting significant damage in the Dharali market area.

Emergency response teams — including the police, fire department, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Indian Army — were immediately deployed for relief and rescue operations.

“Due to the rising water levels in Kheer Gadh in Dharali, reports of damage have been received in the Dharali market area. Police, Fire department, SDRF, and Army, along with other disaster relief teams, are engaged in operations at the scene,” Uttarakhand Police said in an official advisory. Locals have been urged to stay away from riverbanks and to ensure the safety of children and livestock.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep concern over the tragedy and confirmed that rescue efforts are being carried out on a war footing.

“The news of heavy damage caused by a cloudburst in the Dharali (Uttarkashi) region is extremely sad and distressing. SDRF, NDRF, district administration, and other related teams are working tirelessly on relief and rescue,” CM Dhami stated on X (formerly Twitter). “I am in constant touch with senior officials, and the situation is being closely monitored. I pray for everyone’s safety.”

While there is no official confirmation yet on casualties, rescue teams are continuing their search for those missing.

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A day prior to the incident, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a warning for extremely heavy rainfall in several districts of Uttarakhand, including Uttarkashi, Pauri Garhwal, Tehri, and Chamoli.

In response to the alert, the Dehradun district administration ordered the closure of all schools up to Class 12 and Anganwadi centres on August 4.

CM Dhami had also convened a virtual meeting with District Magistrates from all 13 districts to assess preparedness and ongoing development works amid the IMD warnings.