Uttarkashi cloudburst: flash floods and landslides shut highways in Himachal Pradesh

A devastating cloudburst struck Dharali village in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district early Tuesday, triggering flash floods that destroyed homes, uprooted trees, and swept away vehicles.

The disaster has left at least four people dead and several others missing, while search and rescue operations continue.

According to officials, the cloudburst occurred around 1:50 am in the Kheer Ganga river catchment area, unleashing a torrent of water, mud, and debris that inundated nearly half of Dharali. Shocking visuals showed multi-storey houses collapsing as floodwaters thundered through the hills, with terrified residents screaming as the deluge tore through the village.

Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya confirmed four deaths, but no official count has been released on how many people remain missing. The flooding impacted not only Dharali, but also the nearby village of Sukki, as water surged down both sides of the same hill, said Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman. A red alert remains in effect across the region.

Adding to the crisis, 11 Indian Army personnel are reportedly missing from an army camp in Harsil, which was also hit by the deluge.

Rescue efforts are underway with teams from the Army, NDRF, SDRF, and local police deployed. NDRF units from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh were flown in to aid in the operations.

The state government has issued helpline numbers: 01374222126, 01374222722, and 9456556431.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and directed the immediate deployment of seven rescue teams. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that the Centre and the state are coordinating closely to protect and evacuate those affected.

Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh is also facing the brunt of extreme weather. In Kinnaur, a cloudburst caused a bridge over the Tanglig drain to collapse. National Highway 35 near Nigulsari has been closed due to heavy rainfall and resulting landslides. Similarly, the Chandigarh-Shimla highway has been shut at Chakki Mor in Solan district after debris blocked the road.

Cloudbursts are among the most destructive natural events in the Himalayan region. Defined by the India Meteorological Department, they involve rainfall exceeding 100 millimetres per hour over a small area (20-30 sq km), often accompanied by strong winds and lightning, resulting in sudden and extreme flooding.

Authorities remain on high alert as rescue operations continue in both states.