Cloudburst in Uttarkashi kills 4, 50 missing

A powerful flood caused by a cloudburst in the Harshil area of Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India, has killed 4 people and left 50 others missing.

According to Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya, the flood, filled with debris, also damaged infrastructure.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed sadness over the incident on social media. He said he is in contact with senior officials and is closely monitoring the situation.

The flood hit Dharali village, about 4 km from an army camp in Harshil, after heavy rainfall caused a stream named Khir Gadh to overflow. The road connection to the religious site Gangotri Dham has also been cut off.

Indian media quoted an eyewitness saying, “Everything from hotels to markets has been destroyed. I have never seen such a disaster before.”

Rescue teams from the police, SDRF, NDRF, army, and others have been deployed in the area. The Indian Army has already rescued at least 15 people.