Desperate Search Continues for Missing After Uttarakhand Flash Floods

Following flash floods that devastated Dharali village in Uttarakhand, rescue teams are tirelessly searching for 66 missing persons, with only one body recovered so far amid ongoing heavy rainfall and blocked access routes.

At least 66 individuals are still missing nearly a week after devastating flash floods struck the Indian state of Uttarakhand, as reported by local authorities. So far, only a single body has been recovered from the disaster zone, which initially led to a higher reported death toll. Since the calamity unfolded on August 5, when extreme rain triggered a mudslide, almost half of Dharali village has been engulfed by muck and water. An army facility in the vicinity has also endured significant damage.

Rescue operations are ongoing, but adverse weather and a blocked key road due to mud have hampered efforts. Continuous heavy rains have targeted Uttarakhand, particularly the Uttarkashi region where Dharali is located, resulting in significant flooding. Officials reported that around 1,300 individuals were rescued from the area since the flooding commenced last week.

The heavy rainfall caused the Kheerganga river to overflow, unleashing torrents of muddy water across hilly landscapes, devastating properties in both Dharali and neighboring Harsil village. Footage captured during the disaster revealed a massive wave of water surging through the region, destroying buildings and leaving residents with little time to escape. Initially attributed to a cloudburst by local officials, the country's meteorological department has yet to confirm this cause. A team of ten geologists was dispatched to investigate the floods’ origins.

An artificial lake created by silt from the Kheerganga has obstructed parts of the main river Bhagirathi—known as the holiest Ganges river downstream—flooding large areas and submerging crucial infrastructure, including a government helipad. Rescue teams are presently working to drain this lake which had previously receded but has since filled again due to new rainfall.

Authorities have compiled a list of missing individuals which includes 24 workers from Nepal, alongside locals and army personnel, even as local residents assert the figures may be higher. Rescue efforts have been complicated, but officials have employed helicopters and constructed a temporary bridge to facilitate access to the disaster site, allowing restoration efforts to proceed.

Search and rescue teams are utilizing sniffer dogs and machinery to locate those trapped in the debris. In a dire situation, a road-repair vehicle fell into the swollen river, and its driver has since gone missing. The weather department has predicted continued heavy rain and thunderstorms in various Uttarakhand regions, issuing high alerts for multiple districts, including Garhwal.