Flash flooding in Uttarakhand, India, kills 4, dozens still missing, local officials say
Dozens of people remain missing after heavy flash flooding and a mudslide devastated a village in northern India, killing at least four people, local officials said.
The Indian army and air force, along with regional police and rescue teams, were searching under mud and debris for survivors in Dharali, a village of 500 nestled in the Himalayas known as a tourist destination and pilgrimage stop, Indian army officials said. Several houses in Dharali were swept away; many that remain are now submerged in mud.
Eleven Indian army soldiers are also missing after flash flooding hit a nearby army post, according to the army.
Over 70 people have been rescued so far, according to the Indian Army's Directorate General of Public Information. Rescuers have deployed earth-moving equipment, drones and rescue dogs and provided immediate first aid to evacuated individuals.
The flash flooding, a surge of water that cascaded down the mountains and through the village, occurred on Tuesday afternoon. The Indian army said a team of 150 rescuers arrived within 10 minutes after the impact.
"I express my condolences to the people affected by this tragedy in Dharali, Uttarkashi," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X. "No stone is being left unturned in providing help to the people."
Heavy rains, impassable roads and the mountainous terrain continue to impede search efforts, according to rescue teams.
"This disaster has caused immense grief to many families, we understand their pain," wrote Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who arrived at the site and met with survivors, including children, elderly men and women, and the injured.
"Instructions have been given to officials to restore the arrangements of drinking water, electricity, and communication in the affected areas as soon as possible," he added.
The flash flooding was caused by a rare weather event called a cloudburst, a sudden, heavy downpour where an unusually large amount of rain falls in a short period of time, according to Indian weather officials.
Uttarakhand, the mountainous northern state that hosts Dharali, has been devastated by cloudbursts before. A June 2013 cloudburst killed over 6,000 people in Uttarakhand and surrounding states, becoming the country's worst natural disaster in ten years. In 2021, flash flooding triggered by a cloudburst killed over 200.
Climate scientists said they believe the increasing frequency of cloudbursts in the Himalayan foothills is linked to human-induced climate change.
