Uttarkashi Flash Floods: Indian Army Rescues 816 People Under Operation Dharali, Many Missing

Rescue operations continue in Uttarakhand’s Dharali and Harsil, with 816 rescued so far. The Army restored communication, repaired infrastructure, and is using helicopters for evacuations. Five dead, 50 missing; landslides disrupt Char Dham Yatra.

Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand):  Rescue and relief operations by the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are underway in Dharali and Harsil. As many as 816 civilians have been rescued so far. Under Operation Dharali, the Indian Army saw victory in its efforts to restore mobile and internet connectivity in Uttarakhand's Harsil. Road access is open till Limchigad; and work is in progress to construct a 90-ft Bailey Bridge and conversion of a 2 km foot track between Harsil and Dharali into an all-terrain route. The air plan includes two Mi-17 helicopters and one Chinook from Dharasu for stores and personnel induction, with eight civilian helicopters from Matli continuing evacuations, supported by clear weather in the Matli–Harsil sector enabling sustained operations.

The Army managed to repair an optical fibre cable, meant for Army communication, which was damaged by flash floods. Army signalers carried out the repair work amidst ongoing rescue operations in Dharali, ensuring communication links for the area. In a parallel effort, bridges damaged by the floods were repaired at night on Friday near Limchigad, close to Harsil, despite continuing rain. The repair work was carried out jointly by Army personnel and the civil administration to restore connectivity in the affected region.

Amid devastation caused by the cloudburst, the rescue operations are underway with the disaster response forces trying to extricate those stranded in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi.
Pooja, a resident of Dehradun, was airlifted from near Dharali by the response forces. She had gone to her parents' home to celebrate Rakshabandhan. After being rescued with her two children, she said that a lot of people lost their lives in the Uttarkashi tragedy.  "The situation there is bad. I could not tie a Rakhi to my brothers. I had planned to stay for a month, but I am leaving after just a week. I have two children with me. A lot of people there lost their lives," Pooja told ANI.

Bharat Bhai, a senior citizen from Gujarat's Ahmedabad, was also rescued by the disaster response forces. He was visiting Gangotri with a group of people from his home state when he found himself stuck in the hilly region for five days.  "We were stuck in Gangotri for five days. We were a group of people who ventured on the Char Dham Yatra. Some of the group members left earlier, but we got stuck," he told ANI. 

People trapped in the Dharali-Harsil disaster are being rescued through helicopters and brought to Matli helipad, from where arrangements have also been made to ensure their safe arrival at their destination. The army camp in Harsil, which was swept away due to a cloudburst, paints a gory picture of the flash floods with its dilapidated remains. At least five people have been reported dead, and 50 are still missing. The equipments used include a victim locating camera and thermal imaging camera. Dog squads have been deployed alongside rescue personnel to search for stranded individuals. The mobile network was restored in the disaster-hit Harsil valley. However, the landslides have disrupted the Char Dham Yatra.

(With ANI inputs)