Two dead, seven missing as disaster strikes Yamunotri Highway; CM Dhami calls for statewide monsoon alert
Heavy rains turned deadly in Uttarakhand this weekend, killing two labourers and leaving seven others missing after a landslide swept through a construction campsite on the Yamunotri Highway early Sunday. The incident prompted authorities to suspend the Char Dham Yatra, a major annual pilgrimage, over safety concerns.
The cloudburst hit around 1 am, near Silai Bend in Barkot tehsil, Uttarkashi district. Twenty-nine workers had been sheltering in makeshift tents when a sudden wave of mud and debris tore through their camp.
Officials confirmed that 20 people were rescued. But by daylight, rescue workers had pulled out the bodies of two men. The search for the missing continues, despite rain and unstable terrain.
A Sudden Cloudburst, a Night of Horror
The area where the landslide struck lies just 5 km ahead of Paligad. Locals said the storm that night was unusually intense.
“Loud thunder shook the hills around midnight,” said Mahendra Rana, a resident of a nearby village. “Then around 1 am, everything was just black and roaring.”
Police and disaster response teams were alerted at 3 am. By the time they reached the campsite, the damage had been done.
Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Kumar Arya said the labourers had been working on a hotel construction project near the highway. “We managed to evacuate 20 people. Sadly, two men didn’t survive, and we’re still searching for seven others,” he said.
One of the deceased was 55-year-old Duje Lal from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh. The other, 43-year-old Keval Bisht, was from Nepal. Their bodies were recovered before dawn.
Monsoon Brings New Risks to an Old Landscape
Rain isn’t new to Uttarakhand, but the intensity and frequency of recent cloudbursts have many worried. The Char Dham Yatra — a pilgrimage through four Himalayan shrines — runs through fragile terrain that becomes dangerous during monsoon season.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said halting the Yatra was a necessary step.
“It’s about saving lives, not just managing a schedule,” he told reporters on Sunday. “We’ve asked officials to stay in alert mode throughout the peak monsoon months of July and August.”
State authorities are now reassessing travel advisories, drainage systems, and landslide-prone zones.
Char Dham Yatra Stopped—For Now
Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey announced the suspension of the Char Dham Yatra just hours after the Uttarkashi disaster.
“Considering the IMD’s heavy rain alert and the risk to pilgrims, we’ve halted the yatra for a day. Movement will resume only after safety conditions improve,” Pandey said.
The four shrines — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath — attract hundreds of thousands each season. The suspension, though temporary, affects religious tourism, transport services, and local businesses.
Here’s how the region’s movement was affected:
| Shrine | Status as of June 30 | Risk Level | Last Reported Footfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yamunotri | Suspended | Very High | ~13,000/day |
| Gangotri | Suspended | High | ~11,000/day |
| Kedarnath | Suspended | Moderate | ~15,000/day |
| Badrinath | Suspended | Moderate | ~14,500/day |
The district administration has stationed relief teams along key points on the route. Stranded pilgrims are being sheltered in dharamshalas and local government rest houses.
Rescuers Race Against Weather
Disaster response teams say it’s a tight window. The same rain that caused the landslide is also hampering rescue efforts. Loose boulders, swollen streams, and slippery trails have turned the highway into a hazard zone.
Officials said the rescue operation will continue “until every last person is accounted for.”
-
SDRF teams using thermal scanners and drones for tracing missing workers
-
Excavators deployed to remove large debris near Silai Bend
-
Three workers reportedly injured and hospitalized with minor fractures
Rescuers are also dealing with the psychological toll. One officer who didn’t want to be named said, “We’re tired, wet, and anxious. These are someone’s sons, brothers. We just hope they’re found.”
Locals Say This Was Foretold
For residents of Uttarkashi, this wasn’t out of the blue. Locals have long warned that unchecked development — roads, hotels, and tourist spots — is altering the fragile ecology.
“This isn’t the first time a cloudburst has hit. But the damage gets worse every year,” said Sita Devi, who runs a small tea stall near Barkot.
Environmental groups echo that sentiment. In a 2024 state audit, more than 130 locations in Uttarakhand were marked as “severely vulnerable” to landslides, especially near construction zones.
Many are asking: how many more warnings will it take before policy catches up?
Looking Ahead: Rain, Warnings, and More Uncertainty
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rainfall alert for at least five districts, including Uttarkashi, Tehri, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, and Pauri Garhwal. Flash flood risk remains elevated for the next 72 hours.
As for the Yatra, officials say they will monitor weather and road conditions on an hourly basis before deciding to resume.
A local officer put it plainly: “We’d rather be safe and cautious now than regretful later.”
Meanwhile, as families wait for news of the missing and weather continues its assault, the mood in these hills is subdued. The air, thick with mist, carries the sound of rainfall and silence.
