Cloudburst death toll may be much higher than claimed, say locals in India’s Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN – Several people are feared killed at the Dharali market area of Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand at around 1.30 pm on Tuesday as several buildings were swept away by the flood triggered by cloudburst on a hilltop above the market.

As a result of the cloudburst the entire suburb was flooded with a thick mass of water and muck.

Officials of the Uttarkashi district administration and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) informed that cloudburst that occured on the hilltop above Khirganga water stream ahead of the Dharali suburb enroute Gangotri has inflicted substantial human and property losses in the area. They stated that the cloudburst caused incessant rain in the hill areas lasting for more than 24 hours.

Although the exact toll is yet to be ascertained, officials said several people were missing while many houses were perished in the flood. “The news about a cloudburst in Dharali causing extensive damage is extremely saddening and painful. Relief and rescue operations are underway on a war footing, by the teams of SDRF, NDRF, district administration and other departments concerned. I am constantly in touch with senior officials and am closely monitoring the situation. I pray for the safety and well-being of everyone in the area,” said Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in his ‘X’ post.

“Although the exact figure of human losses is not known yet, preliminary information received from officials on ground zero has confirmed four deaths. Exact details of the casualties will be known later as the rescue teams and local officials are engaged in the search and rescue operation,” said Prashant Arya, district magistrate of Uttarkashi.

Meanwhile, locals in the Dharali market, close to Mukhba village, alternate seat of deity Gangotri on the other side of river Ganga, have informed that human losses may be much more than claimed by local administration. “The death toll can be much more than what is being said. There was a substantial size of floating population in the Dharali market today for a large number of people had gathered there to attend a fair on Monday. Many of them were still camping in the market area,” informed a local youth unwilling to be named.

Reacting to the news of the disaster, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “I express my sympathy for the people affected by this tragedy at Dharali in Uttarkashi and pray for the well-being of all victims. I have spoken to the Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami for an update on the situation. Relief and rescue teams are making all possible efforts under the supervision of the state government. No stone will be left unturned to help the people.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “I have spoken to the Uttarakhand chief minister on the disaster caused by flash flood in Dharali, Uttarkashi to get an update on the situation. Three teams of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and four National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams from their respective nearby camps have also been sent to the disaster hit area.”

Dharali, around 80 kilometres from the Uttarkashi district headquarters, lies enroute Gangotri, close to Ganga River bank. Opposite to Dharali, on the other side of the Ganga, lies Gangotri’s winter seat Mukhba village where Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited in June to promote winter tourism in Uttarakhand. The area is hardly 4-5 kilometers from the renowned hill station of Harsil.