Rescue Operations Intensify in Disaster-Hit Dharali Village, Over 270 Evacuated as Weather Clears in Uttarkashi.
Uttarkashi:
Rescue and relief operations gained momentum in Dharali village of Uttarkashi district of Uttrakhand state on Thursday as improved weather allowed deployment of helicopters and ground teams to evacuate more than 270 stranded people from disaster-hit areas.
Severe flash floods and landslides struck the ecologically fragile region on Tuesday afternoon, causing widespread devastation, claiming at least four lives, and leaving 50 civilians and nine Army personnel missing, according to the Army. Eyewitness accounts, however, suggest the number of missing persons could be even higher.
As the rain subsided, Indian Air Force Chinook and Mi-17 helicopters made several sorties, airlifting stranded people to safety. According to Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman, 274 people were brought to Harsil, while 275 people from Harsil, Gangotri, and Jhala were later shifted to Matli helipad for further evacuation to their home states.
The evacuees include tourists and pilgrims from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Assam, Karnataka, Telangana, and Punjab.
One of the survivors, Bhupendra Singh Mehta, recalled, “We woke up to people shouting ‘run, run’. Everything around our homestay was washed away. Debris reached our second-floor window. We jumped and crawled to a nearby bridge to survive.” Another tourist, Chandan, said they saw people buried under rubble in 15–20 locations.
The Indian Army, along with the NDRF, SDRF, and local authorities, ramped up Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations in Dharali and nearby villages, including Harsil. Over 225 Army personnel, including engineers, medical teams, and rescue specialists, are currently deployed. Search and rescue dogs, Reeco Radar teams, and cadaver dogs are assisting the operation.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who has been camping in Uttarkashi since Wednesday, visited families of the missing and assured them that the government stands with them in this difficult time. “Relief and rescue work will continue until every trapped person is brought to safety,” he said in a Facebook post.
The rescue teams face numerous challenges, including roads blocked by landslides at multiple points such as Bartwari, Linchigad, Gangnani, and Dharali. To overcome logistical hurdles, advanced equipment and personnel are being airlifted to affected areas. A VSAT system was also transported to Matli to boost communication by establishing internet connectivity in Harsil.
The military helipads in Harsil and Nelong remain operational, easing the movement of relief supplies and personnel. However, the civil helipad in Dharali is currently unusable due to a mudslide.
In addition to Army helicopters, five civil choppers from Sahastradhara are actively flying between Matli, Bhatwari, and Harsil, coordinating with SDRF for evacuation.
An action plan for the next 48 hours has been laid out, which includes:
- Airlifting para troops and medical teams to Harsil via Chinooks
- Deploying NDRF personnel and medical teams to Nelong by Mi-17 helicopters
- Road clearance ahead of Uttarkashi and Tekla
- Evacuating tourists from Nelong on return sorties
Despite the efforts, the scale of the disaster remains under assessment, and concerns persist over missing individuals. Rescue and relief teams continue to work round the clock, striving to restore connectivity, evacuate survivors, and provide medical care.
