At least five are feared dead and as many as 50 people are missing due to flood situation in Dharali village after a cloudburst allegedly struck Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district on August 5, 2025 Tuesday afternoon. The cloudburst in the upper reaches of the Kheer Ganga river is said to have triggered a mudslide and flash floods in Dharali village dotted with several hotels, restaurants and homestays, most of which had been washed away, including an army camp.
“About 190 people have been rescued from Uttarkashi’s Dharali village in an evacuation drive to save lives from cloudburst-triggered flooding situation,” said Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday August 6, 2025.
Taking to X, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said: “Relief and rescue operations are underway by the district administration, Indian Army, NDRF, and SDRF teams in the affected areas of Dharali (Uttarkashi). People are being evacuated to safe locations on a priority basis, and the situation is being continuously monitored. The administration is fully alert and providing all possible assistance to the affected citizens”. (Translated from Hindi)
ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) personnel have been pressed into service with an additonal team to join the resuce operations in Dharali.
“Plans are in full swing to get the pilgrims stuck in Gangotri Dham through Nelong Valley out,” the CM added.
India Meteorological Department (IMD), however, denied occurance of a cloudburt based on the data available with them.
Uttarkashi received a small amount of rainfall (27 mm) on August 5, “which is too little for a cloudburst or flash flood of such devastating intensity”, PTI quoted a senior IMD scientist as saying.
