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  4. Uttarkashi flash flood wipes out Dharali village in minutes: See heart-wrenching photos

Uttarkashi flash flood wipes out Dharali village in minutes: See heart-wrenching photos

A devastating cloudburst struck the Himalayan village of Dharali, en route to Gangotri, on Tuesday, unleashing flash floods that barrelled through homes, trees, and vehicles. The sudden deluge trapped around 60–70 people and has claimed at least four lives so far.

arushi-jaiswal
Edited By: Arushi Jaiswal @JaiswalArushi
Published on: August 06, 2025 10:40 IST
Dharali is the main stopover on the way to Gangotri, the origin of the Ganga, and home to many hotels, restaurants, and homestays. At least half the village was buried under the fast-flowing mudslide of slush, rubble, and water, officials said as rescue personnel battled the elements in the ecologically fragile heights to contain the damage.
1/12 Image Source : PTI
Dharali is the main stopover on the way to Gangotri, the origin of the Ganga, and home to many hotels, restaurants, and homestays. At least half the village was buried under the fast-flowing mudslide of slush, rubble, and water, officials said as rescue personnel battled the elements in the ecologically fragile heights to contain the damage.
Two separate cloudbursts at Dharali and Sukhi Top caused chaos across the region, with Dharali bearing the worst impact. The scenes are extremely distressing, entire structures are submerged, debris-laden water engulfs homes and roads, and remnants of buildings barely stand amid the chaos.
2/12 Image Source : PTI
Two separate cloudbursts at Dharali and Sukhi Top caused chaos across the region, with Dharali bearing the worst impact. The scenes are extremely distressing, entire structures are submerged, debris-laden water engulfs homes and roads, and remnants of buildings barely stand amid the chaos.
Contiguous buildings, including three- and four-storey houses, fell like a pack of cards as the surging waters washed over them.
3/12 Image Source : PTI
Contiguous buildings, including three- and four-storey houses, fell like a pack of cards as the surging waters washed over them.
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According to officials, around 20-25 hotels and guesthouses may have been swept away, and a large part of the Dharali bazaar has been
4/12 Image Source : PTI
According to officials, around 20-25 hotels and guesthouses may have been swept away, and a large part of the Dharali bazaar has been "completely washed away." The flash floods occurred following a cloudburst in the Kheer Ganga catchment area and a subsequent landslide in the Kheer Gadh area.
Officials said that personnel of the Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local police managed to rescue 130 people till now despite incessant rains and challenges that hampered the ongoing operation. The Indian Army has deployed its MI-17 and Chinook helicopters to look for the stranded. Colonel Harshvardhan, Commanding Officer of 14 Raj Rif, is leading the relief and rescue operations with a 150-soldier team.
5/12 Image Source : PTI
Officials said that personnel of the Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local police managed to rescue 130 people till now despite incessant rains and challenges that hampered the ongoing operation. The Indian Army has deployed its MI-17 and Chinook helicopters to look for the stranded. Colonel Harshvardhan, Commanding Officer of 14 Raj Rif, is leading the relief and rescue operations with a 150-soldier team.
The ancient Kalp Kedar temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in Uttarkashi, was also buried in the debris brought over by the flash flood in the Kheer Ganga river. Built in the Kature style, the architecture of the Shiva temple is similar to that of Kedarnath Dham. The 'shivling' of the sanctum sanctorum is shaped like the back of Nandi, just like in the Kedarnath temple.
6/12 Image Source : PTI
The ancient Kalp Kedar temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in Uttarkashi, was also buried in the debris brought over by the flash flood in the Kheer Ganga river. Built in the Kature style, the architecture of the Shiva temple is similar to that of Kedarnath Dham. The 'shivling' of the sanctum sanctorum is shaped like the back of Nandi, just like in the Kedarnath temple.
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In Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, the road leading to the India-China border near Raini village caved in at two places due to incessant rains, blocking the road. The damage has disrupted connectivity in the area.
7/12 Image Source : PTI
In Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, the road leading to the India-China border near Raini village caved in at two places due to incessant rains, blocking the road. The damage has disrupted connectivity in the area.
Several pictures after the devastating incidents show that a large portion of the road leading to the ground zero of the cloudburst incident in Uttarkashi has been washed away in the devastating floods, hampering the rescue teams heading towards the worst-affected areas.
8/12 Image Source : PTI
Several pictures after the devastating incidents show that a large portion of the road leading to the ground zero of the cloudburst incident in Uttarkashi has been washed away in the devastating floods, hampering the rescue teams heading towards the worst-affected areas.
Residents of Mukhaba village, located near the flood-ravaged Dharali in Uttarkashi, described the situation as one of panic and helplessness, drawing comparisons to the catastrophic Uttarakhand disaster of 2013.
9/12 Image Source : PTI
Residents of Mukhaba village, located near the flood-ravaged Dharali in Uttarkashi, described the situation as one of panic and helplessness, drawing comparisons to the catastrophic Uttarakhand disaster of 2013. "It was terrifying... We whistled, screamed, waved our hands, but nobody understood what was going to happen," said Sudhanshu Semwal, 20, who is still terrified after seeing the rush of water and debris at Dharali, just five kilometres from Harsil on the Gangotri highway.
In 2003, several big hotel buildings were razed to the ground due to landslides on Varunavat mountain. Floods triggered by swollen rivers, Assi Ganga and Bhagirathi rivers, in 2012-13 caused damage in the Assi Ganga valley and Bhatwadi.
10/12 Image Source : PTI
In 2003, several big hotel buildings were razed to the ground due to landslides on Varunavat mountain. Floods triggered by swollen rivers, Assi Ganga and Bhagirathi rivers, in 2012-13 caused damage in the Assi Ganga valley and Bhatwadi.
Kanwariyas returning from Gangotri were seen carefully navigating damaged roads in the flash flood-hit Dharali area of Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand.
11/12 Image Source : PTI
Kanwariyas returning from Gangotri were seen carefully navigating damaged roads in the flash flood-hit Dharali area of Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami over the phone and took stock of the situation in Uttarkashi. The PM has assured Dhami of all possible assistance from the central government.
12/12 Image Source : PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami over the phone and took stock of the situation in Uttarkashi. The PM has assured Dhami of all possible assistance from the central government.
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