Uttarakhand: 4 dead as cloudburst triggers landslide, Army called in

In Uttarakhand, at least four people have died and several are missing after a powerful cloudburst triggered a massive landslide in Dharali village on Tuesday noon. Officials said that several houses have been damaged or swept away in the region. Dharali is on the way to Gangotri and home, and houses many hotels, homestays and restaurants. The cloudburst took place in the catchment area of the Kheer Ganga river. Horrifying visuals surfaced on social media in which people can be heard screaming in panic.

बदरी विशाल जी सबकी रक्षा करना मेरे उत्तराखंड में

DANGEROUS landslide visuals from
Uttarkashi’s Tharali village
Cloudburst triggers flash floods in
Uttarakhand#Viral #Trending #Cloudburst #Uttarkashi pic.twitter.com/aKTtw9LWRB

— Mamta Painuly Kale (@mamta_kale) August 5, 2025

The Uttarkashi police posted pictures of the destruction and urged people to maintain a safe distance from rivers. "In view of this incident, everyone should maintain a safe distance from the river. Ensure that you, children, and animals are kept at a safe distance from the river," they said. 

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उत्तरकाशी, हर्षिल क्षेत्र में खीर गाड़ का जलस्तर बढने से धराली में नुकसान होने की सूचना पर पुलिस, SDRF, आर्मी आदि आपदा दल मौके पर राहत एवं बचाव कार्य में जुटे हैं।

उक्त घटना को देखते हुए सभी नदी से उचित दूरी बनायें। स्वयं, बच्चों व मवेशियों को नदी से उचित दूरी पर ले जायें। pic.twitter.com/tAICzWQUzc

— Uttarkashi Police Uttarakhand (@UttarkashiPol) August 5, 2025

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that relief teams are engaged in rescue operations. "The news of heavy damage caused by a cloudburst in the Dharali (Uttarkashi) region is extremely sad and distressing. SDRF, NDRF, district administration, and other related teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations on a war footing. In this regard, I am in constant contact with senior officials, and the situation is being closely monitored. I pray to God for everyone's safety," he wrote in a post on X.

धराली (उत्तरकाशी) क्षेत्र में बादल फटने से हुए भारी नुकसान का समाचार अत्यंत दुःखद एवं पीड़ादायक है। राहत एवं बचाव कार्यों के लिए SDRF, NDRF, जिला प्रशासन तथा अन्य संबंधित टीमें युद्ध स्तर पर जुटी हुई हैं।

इस सम्बन्ध में लगातार वरिष्ठ अधिकारियों से संपर्क में हूँ और स्थिति की गहन…

— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) August 5, 2025

The Indian Army said that a landslide occurred near Dharali village around 4 kilometer from the Indian Army Camp at Harshil at around 1:45 pm. "The Indian Army mobilised 150 personnel who reached the site within 10 minutes and immediately commenced rescue operations. So far, 15–20 individuals have been successfully evacuated, with the injured receiving prompt medical treatment at the Indian Army medical facility in Harshil," the Army said in a statement.

Union home minister Amit Shah posted on X, "Spoke with the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand regarding the flash flood incident in Dharali (Uttarkashi) to gather information about the event. Three nearby ITBP teams have been sent there, and four NDRF teams have also been dispatched to the site, which will soon arrive and engage in rescue operations." The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a 'red' alert for extremely heavy rainfall in the hilly state on Tuesday. A 'yellow' alert has been issued for heavy rainfall throughout the week.