Uttarakhand flash flood cuts off key roads,rescue Ops underway

In Uttarakhand, rescuers retrieved one body from the rubble in flood-ravaged Dharali village, as the search for the missing resumed on Wednesday amid rain. Nearly half of the picturesque Dharali village was ravaged by flash floods on Tuesday afternoon. The village is the main stopover on the way to Gangotri, from where the Ganga originates, and is home to several hotels and home stays. The death toll in the Uttarkashi cloudburst and flash floods rose to five on Wednesday. Incessant rainfall has severely damaged stretches of NH-34 (Uttarkashi–Gangotri axis), including a 100-metre washout at Papadgad and heavy debris blockage near Dharali.

VIDEO | Uttarakhand: Road to India-China border blocked at two points as it caved in at two locations near Raini Village, Chamoli, due to continuous rainfall in the region.

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/TKTEUPtBgZ

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 6, 2025

According to NDRF, teams of ITBP, SDRF, NDRF, BRO are carrying out rescue operations at the spot. Around 150 people have been taken to safe spots. Our three teams are on the way and they will reach the spot as soon as the road reopens. Our teams in Pant Nagar, Gauchar and Joshimath are on standby. They will be sent once the weather improves.

#WATCH | Uttarkashi cloudburst incident | Delhi: Mohsen Shahedi, DIG, NDRF says, "Teams of ITBP, SDRF, NDRF, BRO are carrying out rescue operations at the spot. Around 150 people have been taken to safe spots. Our three teams are on the way and they will reach the spot as soon as… pic.twitter.com/xuhFzUW9oI

— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2025

CM Pushkar Singh Dhami is on the ground, overseeing the operations. He conducted an aerial survey of the worst-hit Dharali village and surrounding areas. Dhami also visited the State Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to take stock of the relief and rescue operations.

Watch: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami tweets, "Conducted an aerial inspection of the disaster-affected area in Uttarkashi"

(Video Credits: Pushkar Singh Dhami/X) pic.twitter.com/LJRvpmhPeU

— IANS (@ians_india) August 6, 2025

SDRF Commander Arpan Yaduvanshi informed that additional teams equipped with advanced gear and dog squads are en route to the disaster site. However, continuous heavy rainfall and sudden flooding have obstructed several routes, making access to the affected area difficult. To strengthen relief efforts, two Inspectors General, three Superintendents of Police, 11 Deputy SPs, and nearly 300 police personnel have been deployed. Special units of the PAC and the Indian Reserve Battalion- IRB are also assisting in relief work. The Public Works Department and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) are focused on clearing the blocked roads.