Three dead, four missing as car plunges into Ganga
Three people died and four others went missing after an Innova SUV they were travelling in plunged into River Ganga on Tuesday.
Following the sudden cloudburst that triggered massive mudslides and landslides in Harshil, Uttarakhand, the Union government has put agencies, including the Indian Air Force (IAF), on high alert, official sources said.
The IAF, they said, is ready to join the ongoing rescue operations being carried out by the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
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They said the adverse weather conditions over the higher reaches of Uttarakhand hampered air operations.
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Helicopters were ready to take off today itself, but due to poor visibility and heavy rains, it was unsafe to operate, they said.
Meanwhile, the NDRF and ITBP teams are also on the ground, conducting search-and-rescue operations amid extremely challenging terrain and continuous rainfall.
The situation in Harshil remains tense as several families were stranded or missing due to the flash floods and debris in the affected areas.
The Indian Army has deployed 150 personnel who reached the mudslide-hit area near Dharali village within minutes of the disaster.
Rescue agencies are coordinating closely to minimise casualties and deliver timely relief in the affected regions.
Continuous rainfall remains the biggest hurdle in the response effort.
A devastating cloudburst struck the Dharali area near Harsil in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district, washing away a village and leaving several people missing.
Following the sudden surge in water levels, especially in Kheer Gadh near Dharali, large-scale damage was reported in the local market area, prompting an immediate response from the different agencies.
“Due to the rising water levels in Kheer Gadh in Dharali, Uttarkashi, reports of damage have been received in the Dharali market area. Police, Fire Department, SDRF and Army, along with other disaster relief and rescue teams, are engaged in relief and rescue operations at the scene,” Uttarakhand Police said in a public advisory issued after the incident.
State authorities have urged people to maintain a safe distance from the riverbanks and ensure the safety of children and livestock.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep concern over the disaster and assured that relief efforts were being carried out on a war footing. “The news of heavy damage caused by a cloudburst in the Dharali (Uttarkashi) region is extremely sad and distressing. SDRF, NDRF, district administration, and other related teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations on a war footing,” CM Dhami said in a post on X.
“I am in constant contact with senior officials, and the situation is being closely monitored. I pray to God for everyone’s safety,” he added.
A day before the cloudburst, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a warning for “extremely heavy rainfall” in parts of Uttarakhand, including Uttarkashi, Pauri Garhwal, Tehri, and Chamoli, from August 4 onwards.
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