Lt Col Manish Shrivastava, PRO (Defence), Dehradun, had earlier stated that 11 personnel were initially feared missing, but two of them were later rescued safely. Following the mudslide, the Army camp in Harsil was cut off from the Dharali market area.
Photo: SNS
A Junior Commissioned Officer and eight jawans of the Indian Army remain missing in the aftermath of the fierce cloudburst that triggered massive landslides and flash floods in Uttarakhand’s Dharali village on Tuesday, resulting in widespread damage.
Lt Col Manish Shrivastava, PRO (Defence), Dehradun, had earlier stated that 11 personnel were initially feared missing, but two of them were later rescued safely. Following the mudslide, the Army camp in Harsil was cut off from the Dharali market area.
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Meanwhile, NH-34 has suffered extensive damage, including road shrinkage. The Border Roads Organisation stated that the cloudburst in Uttarakhand wreaked havoc on NH-34, with severe damage reported on the Gangotri–Dharasu stretch, including major road shrinkage at km 69.10 and heavy muck blockage near Dharali.
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Under Project Shivalik, which is operational in the area, swift rescue operations were launched, with men and machinery deployed on the ground, working resolutely to clear debris despite inclement weather, the BRO said in a post on X.
It further stated that incessant rainfall in the state has also damaged roads at multiple locations on NH-34 (Uttarkashi–Gangotri axis), including a 100-metre washout at Papadgad. Restoration work is being carried out under Project Shivalik despite continuous rainfall, slush, and inclement weather.
The tragedy left hundreds of people displaced, with relief and rescue operations underway. Meanwhile, the Indian Army has launched a swift and coordinated Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operation.
A statement from the Army spokesperson said that over 225 Army personnel, including infantry and engineering teams, are on the ground conducting search, rescue, and relief operations. A team from the Corps of Engineers, including combat engineers, has reached Dharali to assist in clearing debris and restoring mobility.
Furthermore, seven teams equipped with Recco Radar are operating near Tekla, while search and rescue dogs have been deployed at Harsil. Additional teams are en route from Remount and Veterinary Corps centres.
The military helipad at Harsil has been made operational. The spokesperson further said that civil helicopters, launched from Sahastradhara in coordination with the SDRF, have successfully landed at Bhatwari and Harsil for casualty evacuation and delivery of relief materials.
Chinook, Mi-17, and ALH helicopters are on standby at Jolly Grant, Chandigarh, and Sarsawa for troop and material airlift, awaiting tasking clearance.
The Indian Air Force stated that Mi-17s and ALH Mk-III helicopters at Bareilly are on high alert, while An-32 and C-295 aircraft from Agra have landed in Dehradun for rescue operations in the affected areas. “Air Force stations at Agra and Bareilly were activated during the night for loading relief and rescue material, and for preparing IAF and Indian Army personnel for the rescue missions,” the IAF said in a post on X.
“Though dense fog and rain restricted flying in the morning, a small window of improved visibility is being exploited by the IAF for this joint civil-military operation to address the disaster,” the post further said.
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