In Photos: Uttarkashi flash floods leave a trail of ruin

Flash floods along with a massive debris slide struck Dharali village in Uttarakhand’s Kheer Gad on Tuesday afternoon, sweeping away several structures and building. Distressing visuals shared online showed terrified residents screaming as the floods tore through the area. The village, located around 10 km from the popular tourist destination Harshil, has reported several deaths.

Rescue operations are underway, with teams from the Indian Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), fire services, and local police engaged in relief efforts.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said evacuations are being carried out on a priority basis and the situation is being closely monitored.

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Here are some photos from the destruction in Dharali:

Visuals showed a massive debris slide, encroaching into the town, taking with it structures. (PTI photo)

 

Police sources said that though tourists were few in the area, a local festival was in progress nearby when the incident took place. (PTI photo)

 

A sudden cloudburst near Gangotri Dham triggered flash floods in Dharali, Uttarkashi (PTI photo)

 

A surge of water and heavy debris from nearby hills gushed into the village around 1:5pm (PTI photo)

 

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More than 20 hotels and homestays were reduced to rubble within minutes. (PTI photo)

 

Three teams of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and four teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were dispatched to the affected area. (Express photo)

 

According to PRO of Defence in Dehradun, around 20 people have been rescued so far by the Army’s IBEX Brigade. (Express photo)

 

Hospitals are on high alert. beds have been reserved in nearby hospitals as well as in AIIMS, Rishikesh, and ambulances are being sent to the incident site. (Express photo)