Torrential rain turns Kheer Ganga river into a wall of destruction; dozens missing, town of Dharali left in ruins
Four lives lost. Around 70 more unaccounted for. A popular Himalayan town now reduced to debris and despair.
Flash floods triggered by a cloudburst over the Kheer Ganga river tore through Dharali in Uttarkashi district on Tuesday afternoon, leaving a trail of destruction that locals say happened in mere minutes. Authorities are scrambling to assess the full scale of the damage, with fears that many may still be trapped under the rubble or washed away by the unforgiving waters.
“There Was No Time to Run”: Panic Grips the Hills
People screamed. Buildings cracked open. Cars were tossed around like toys. It was chaos, raw and unfiltered.
Eyewitnesses described the horror that unfolded as water came thundering down the slopes, turning the otherwise serene Kheer Ganga into a violent torrent. Dharali, perched 8,600 feet above sea level, had no warning. The sudden flood submerged the main market area, ripped through hotels and homes, and swallowed entire sections of road.
A local resident, who identified himself only as Bhuwan, said he watched helplessly from a rooftop as the ground beneath a café collapsed. “People were inside. They were having lunch,” he said. “And then… it was just gone.”
Buildings Flattened, Families Missing, Town Vanished
The scale of devastation is hard to comprehend — especially in a place known more for backpackers and pilgrims than body counts.
District officials confirmed that at least 25 structures, including hotels, homes, and guest houses, were completely destroyed. The mud and rock carried by the floodwaters turned the lively tourist village into a ghost town blanketed in sludge. According to a rough estimate shared by the local administration, between 60 and 70 people are feared missing.
One of the buildings that collapsed was a popular guest house frequented by trekkers heading to Gangotri. At least 11 people were staying there at the time, say officials. There’s been no contact with them since 3 p.m. Tuesday.
One paragraph, one sentence:
Phones aren’t working. Roads are broken.
Overnight Rescue Underway, But Terrain Slows Operations
Search and rescue efforts kicked into high gear after sunset, but progress has been slow — and treacherous.
NDRF teams arrived at the site late Tuesday evening, along with SDRF personnel and local police. But blocked access roads, unstable slopes, and darkness made it nearly impossible to move heavy equipment into Dharali until early Wednesday. Helicopter sorties began at dawn.
• Officials say 7 people were rescued from partially collapsed homes by Wednesday morning
• 2 injured tourists, including a woman from Delhi, were airlifted to Dehradun
• Several local families are currently taking shelter in makeshift tents erected near the helipad
A senior disaster management officer, requesting anonymity, said, “We’re dealing with a very narrow window of hope. Every hour counts.”
Government Reacts: Condolences, Promises, and On-Ground Visits
Top officials from Delhi were quick to respond, at least on paper. But for families waiting for word on their missing loved ones, words are cold comfort.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami shortly after news broke. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also assured “full support from the Centre.”
Dhami, who visited the State Emergency Operations Center Tuesday night, said in a press briefing, “Every possible resource will be deployed for rescue and relief. We are monitoring the situation hourly.”
Here’s a quick glance at what’s been officially announced:
| Announcement | Details |
|---|---|
| Ex-gratia for victims | ₹4 lakh per deceased, ₹50,000 for injured |
| Central assistance | Two NDRF teams, IAF choppers on standby |
| Evacuation planning | Identifying alternate routes for survivors |
| Infrastructure rebuild fund | To be announced after damage assessment |
But for now, much of the relief work remains in the hands of exhausted responders and frightened villagers.
Climate Alarm Bells Ring Louder in the Himalayas
This isn’t a one-off. Uttarakhand has been here before. And it’s not alone.
Climate experts have repeatedly warned that the Himalayas are becoming more prone to flash floods, cloudbursts, and landslides due to a mix of changing weather patterns and unregulated construction. The region has seen at least 8 major flooding incidents in the last 10 years, including the Kedarnath disaster in 2013 and Chamoli glacier burst in 2021.
“Shorter winters, longer monsoons, hotter summers — everything is off balance now,” said Dr. Neha Saini, a hydrologist with the Centre for Himalayan Research. “We can’t call this an act of god anymore. It’s an act of negligence.”
She also pointed to the heavy tourist influx and deforestation as contributing stress factors.
Survivors Camp Out in Fear as Rains Continue
Wednesday morning brought no peace. It brought more rain.
Hundreds of locals and stranded tourists have been moved to higher ground by state officials, but the mood remains grim. Dharali is now filled with cries for help, the hum of generators, and the haunting silence of buildings that no longer stand.
One shopkeeper, who lost his entire storefront and two employees, said: “We’ve never seen the river like this. Not even in 2013. This was something else.”
Power lines are down. Drinking water is scarce. People are sharing rice and biscuits under tarpaulin sheets, hoping the skies hold for another day.
Just one more day without rain — that’s all they’re praying for now.
