A cloudburst in Dharali village of Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand at around 1:45 pm on Tuesday caused a flash flood in the Khair Ganga river, which devastated the entire area in a matter of moments. The natural disaster engulfed the markets, hotels and houses of Dharali, creating a heartbreaking story of loss of life and property. According to locals, the sea of water and debris came in just 34 seconds, leaving people without even a chance to recover. Rescue work is underway in full swing after the tragedy, but bad weather and difficult routes have posed challenges for the rescue teams. The extent of the devastation Dharali, which is an important tourist and pilgrimage destination about 20 km before Gangotri Dham, was badly affected by the tragedy. Locals say 10 to 12 people may be buried under the debris, while 20 to 25 hotels and homestays have been submerged in the floodwaters. So far, four people have been confirmed dead, more than 50 are missing, while 138 people have been safely evacuated. Videos on social media show people screaming and a voice saying "everything is over" as the horror of the tragedy unfolds. Image shows. Relief operations Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Dharali on Wednesday morning and reviewed the relief work. He said that teams of NDRF, SDRF, ITBP and Indian Army are engaged in relief work. Army helicopters have also been deployed for relief. In addition, teams comprising two Inspector Generals, three SPs, a Commandant, 11 Deputy SPs and 300 police personnel have also been rushed to the spot. People from the areas around the river have been shifted to safer places, while efforts are also underway to restore power. Weather difficulties Continuous rains and bad weather have hampered the relief work. Helicopter flights are facing difficulties, while landslides and broken roads at places are preventing the relief teams from reaching the affected areas in time. The Meteorological Department has issued an "orange alert" for heavy rain in seven districts including Uttarkashi on Wednesday, posing further challenges to rescue operations. Sniffer dogs have been deployed to search for the body. In a major development, the NDRF has decided to send a team of sniffer dogs to Dharali to search for bodies. These dogs will help in locating people buried in the rubble. One pair will be airlifted from Delhi, while three other teams have reached the spot from the state level. Government response Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured the Uttarakhand government of all possible support. Chief Minister Dhami said that all resources are being deployed to provide immediate and adequate assistance to the victims. However, the situation has been further complicated by the loss of communication and power outages in the affected areas. The result is that the Dharali cloudburst is one of the worst natural disasters in the history of Uttarakhand. Rescue teams are working with their lives on the line, but the weather and geographical conditions are hampering their efforts. In this difficult time, the recovery of the victims and the search for the missing are the top priority. Source: Local news, live reports from Uttarkashi, official statements of the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, announcements of NDRF and SDRF Viral videos and eyewitness statements on social media
