Uttarkashi cloudburst: Rescue efforts being ramped up as scores still missing at Dharali

NEW DELHI: Rescue efforts are being ramped up in cloudburst-affected Dharali, Uttarakhand, as scores of people remain unaccounted for and the region remains cut off due to multiple landslides and road disruptions.

Officials said over 70 civilians have been rescued from the impacted area but several are still missing, including nine Army soldiers who have not been traced since their camp got hit by rushing waters. The Army has placed its elite para troops on alert to bring them into the area and has also kept medical teams on standby.

The army, in coordination with the civil administration, Indian Air Force, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), has intensified search operations with Lt Gen Naveen Sachdeva, Chief of Staff at the Central Command, saying that troops have been operating on a war footing.


Medical personnel and search crew have been flown in by the armed forces and specialised engineers with road clearing equipment have also been deployed to restore road connectivity to the area. Special equipment like ground-penetrating radars and drones have been sent to the affected area, besides search and rescue dogs.

Officials said road access has been disrupted at multiple locations like Bartwari, Linchigad, near Harsil, Gangrani, Dharali and repair work is currently underway. The military helipad at Harsil and a civilian helipad at Nelong are currently operational with choppers being used to ferry the injured.

"Over 225 army troops are on the ground, including engineers, medical teams and rescue specialists. Two reconnaissance radar teams have also been inducted," officials said. They said Chinook and Mi-17 transport helicopters are in place at Jolly Grant and will commence operations to induct personnel and evacuate civilians.

While an exact number of the missing has still not been drawn up, officials said that over 50 people are unaccounted for, which includes tourists, locals and construction crew working at Dharali.