Uttarkashi flash flood death toll rises to 5, search for 100 missing underway

The death toll from the devastating cloudburst and flash floods in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district has risen to five, with a large-scale rescue operation underway to locate more than 100 people who are still reported missing. The victims include civilians as well as military personnel from an army camp that was also hit by a separate mudslide. The calamity, triggered by a cloudburst in the Kheer Ganga catchment on Tuesday, has caused widespread destruction, sweeping away buildings, shops, and roads in its path.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas, including Dharali, early Wednesday to take stock of the situation. He later held a disaster management meeting and informed the media that multiple agencies, including the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), are working round-the-clock. The Indian Army's Surya Command, which has a contingent of 150 personnel on the ground, is using tracker dogs, drones, and earthmoving equipment to find survivors, but rescue efforts are being severely hampered by continuous heavy rain and inaccessible terrain.

The situation is particularly dire for a group of soldiers, with reports stating that up to 11 army personnel are missing after a mudslide hit their camp in the Harsil area. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken with Chief Minister Dhami, assuring him of all possible central assistance as the state grapples with the fallout. The weather department has issued an orange alert for heavy rainfall, raising fears of further landslides and complicating the already challenging search and rescue efforts for those who remain missing.