Uttarkashi Cloudburst News Highlights: Relief and rescue operations are underway Wednesday at the disaster site in Uttarkashi's Dharali-- a high-altitude village en route to Gangotri- after a cloudburst triggered flash floods and landslides on several stretches of the Uttarkashi-Harsil road. Rescuers retrieved two body from the rubble in flood-ravaged Dharali village, as the search for the missing resumed. Due to continuous rainfall and landslides, the Gangotri Highway has been blocked at several points, resulting in delays for the teams reaching the site. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is expected to visit the affected area today. What happened? On Tuesday (August 5), a sudden flash flood caused by a cloudburst in the Kheer Ganga river catchment area swept away houses, shops and roads, leaving a trail of destruction. Two cloudburst incidents were reported, one in Dharali and another in the Sukhi Top area, resulting in widespread destruction. Dharali bore the brunt of the damage. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings for heavy rainfall across Uttarakhand, particularly in the hill districts. Who are involved in the rescue operations? A joint team of 201 personnel from the Army, ITBP, Police, Revenue, BRO, and ambulance services are at the site. Additionally, a second wave of 211 responders from SDRF, NDRF, BRO, Fire Services, PWD, and other departments was deployed. The Emergency Operations Centre remains active, with senior administrative officers overseeing efforts. Helipad operations at Jhala have been activated to support aerial rescue, while alerts have been issued to residents near riverbanks in Bhattwadi, Gangori, and Uttarkashi. Several colleges have been turned into relief shelters and camps.
