Uttarakhand flash floods: 11 Indian army personnel missing in Harsil after cloudburst

As many as 11 Army personnel are reported missing after a cloudburst hit the lower Harsil area in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi, according to Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Mohsen Shahedi. Despite their own troops being unaccounted for, the Indian Army has continued relief and rescue operations in the affected region.

"We have been told that four people have been killed and about 50 are missing. Eleven army troops are missing from the Harsil area," he said.

Troops from the Ibex Brigade have been mobilised and are working alongside SDRF, NDRF, and local authorities to assist civilians and assess the damage. Search efforts are ongoing to trace the missing soldiers.


The same cloudburst caused flash floods in high-altitude villages of Dharali along the Gangotri route, sweeping away several houses and resulting in at least four deaths, according to officials. Dharali, a key stopover for pilgrims and tourists on the way to Gangotri, is home to several hotels, restaurants, and homestays.

The flash flood is believed to have originated from a cloudburst in the catchment area of the Kheer Ganga river, locals said. Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya confirmed that at least four people have died, and said an Army team from Harsil was rushed to the site to aid in response efforts.

About 10-12 people could be buried under the debris, Rajesh Panwar, a villager, told PTI. He said 20-25 hotels and homestays may have been washed away.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to people affected by the flashfloods and assured that no stone is being left unturned in providing assistance.

"I express my condolences to the people affected by this tragedy in Dharali, Uttarkashi. Along with this, I pray for the well-being of all the victims. I have spoken to Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami ji and obtained information about the situation. Under the supervision of the state government, relief and rescue teams are engaged in every possible effort. No stone is being left unturned in providing assistance to the people," he wrote on X in Hindi.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and ordered the dispatch of seven rescue teams to assist the affected people.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the Centre and the state government are working in tandem, taking all possible measures to save precious lives.

"Have been seeing disturbing visuals from Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) on the devastation caused by flash floods. Praying for the well-being of the people affected by the tragedy...," he wrote on X.

A 16-member Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) team has reached Dharali from its 12th battalion stationed at Matli in Uttarakhand while another unit of the same strength has also been asked to rush to the cloudburst site, officials said.

Chief Minister Dhami said he is constantly in touch with senior officials and the situation is being closely monitored.

"The news of heavy losses due to cloudburst in Dharali (Uttarkashi) area is extremely sad and painful. SDRF, NDRF, district administration and other related teams are engaged on war footing in relief and rescue operations," he said in a post on X.

There was widespread panic in the neighbouring villages following the flashflood.

Videos from the area showed a torrent of muddy water and silt rushing down the slopes towards settlements along the banks of the river. People could be heard screaming in fear.

In one video, people can be heard in the video gasping for breath and trying to call their relatives in affected areas to find out if they were alright.