Over 100 Missing as Flash Floods Wipe Out Village in India

More than 100 people remain missing, and one person has died after a cloudburst unleashed catastrophic flash floods in northern India’s Uttarakhand state.

The disaster struck on Tuesday, August 5, 2025,  when a sudden cloudburst sent walls of water crashing down the mountains into Dharali village in Uttarkashi district. The raging water swallowed roads, homes, and buildings, burying entire areas under thick sludge and debris.

A dramatic aerial photo taken  by BBC on 5 August 2025 captures the scale of destruction as a torrent of muddy water tore through homes, trees, and infrastructure.

Rescue teams continue working around the clock. However, heavy rainfall, blocked roads, and poor network connectivity severely slow progress. So far, authorities have rescued at least 130 people. Still, dozens remain unaccounted for.

Dharali, a well-known stop along the Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage route, faced this disaster even after days of rain alerts. Fortunately, the low number of tourists during the monsoon likely prevented a much larger tragedy.

“If this had happened during peak season, it would have been far worse,” one resident explained.

Several army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) units stationed nearby in Harsil, just 2km away, rushed to assist. Yet washed-out roads and damaged communication lines continue to hinder their operations.

At approximately 13:30 IST (08:00 GMT), the cloudburst surged through the Kheerganga River. The resulting torrent flowed into the Bhagirathi River, the upper stream of the sacred Ganges.

The floodwaters blocked portions of the Bhagirathi, forming an artificial lake that submerged vast areas, including a government helipad.

Officials now urge swift action to drain the water. Without it, towns and villages downstream may suffer devastating floods.

Disaster response teams deployed from Gangotri, about 18km away, reached the site on Tuesday. Unfortunately, poor weather and network blackouts have made further communication impossible. Meanwhile, power outages, damaged highways, and frequent landslides continue delaying response efforts.

Officials confirmed that at least 10 Indian Army soldiers stationed at Harsil also remain missing.

India’s weather department has forecast more rain in the coming days. As a result, authorities have urged residents to avoid travel in landslide-prone zones. Additionally, several districts shut down schools, while multiple highways remain closed due to landslides and dangerous road conditions.

Uttarakhand, located in the western Himalayas, faces frequent natural disasters. Back in 2013, over 5,000 people died in floods and landslides caused by a similar cloudburst. Then in 2021, another glacier-triggered flood claimed more than 200 lives.

Experts consistently link the rising frequency and intensity of such events to climate change, unchecked development, and deforestation.

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