Uttarakhand cloudburst: Landslides block Uttarkashi-Harsil road, 11 jawans missing
What's the story
A cloudburst in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand has triggered flash floods and landslides, blocking the Uttarkashi-Harsil road. The incident has left several stretches of the road washed away, including a complete washout at Bhatwadi. Heavy machinery, like JCBs, has been deployed to remove the debris and restore connectivity in the affected areas. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is on-site to assist in rescue operations.
Twitter Post
Road toward Harsil completely blocked
#WATCH | Uttarakhand: Due to a cloudburst, the Uttarkashi-Harsil road in Bhatwadi has been completely washed out. The road towards Harsil was completely blocked the entire night.
— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2025
Dharali, where the cloudburst incident took place yesterday, is 50 km away from here. pic.twitter.com/mMiph62GCM
Neighboring impact
Flash floods kill 4 soldiers in Dharali village
The cloudburst had triggered flash floods in Uttarakhand's Dharali village, killing four and leaving at least 11 soldiers missing. The Army personnel went missing after the cloudburst triggered massive flash floods and a mudslide near the Harshil Army camp in Dharali village. The cloudburst occurred in the Kheer Ganga River's catchment area, around 4 km from the Indian Army base at Harshil. The Army confirmed that 150 personnel have been deployed for search and rescue operations.
Government response
PM Modi expresses grief, assures support
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed condolences to those affected by the tragedy in Dharali. He assured Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami of central government support. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also promised all necessary assistance and ordered the deployment of NDRF and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) teams. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Dhami has returned to Dehradun to oversee relief efforts. He said restoring electricity was a top priority and assured that it would be done by Wednesday night.
Relief efforts
130 people rescued
So far, over 130 people have been rescued from the devastation caused by two cloudbursts, one in Dharali, which bore the brunt of the damage, and another in the Sukhi Top area. Rescue efforts are ongoing, led by the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), NDRF, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). The state is likely to see heavy rainfall again on Wednesday, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy rainfall, particularly in the state's hill districts.