Rescue Ops Continue In Uttarakhand After Cloudburst As 59 Still Missing: Top Points
Five deaths are confirmed, and 59 people are missing. 274 tourists were rescued. Special forces, medical teams, and equipment are deployed, with focus on restoring communication and clearing debris.
Rescue efforts in Uttarakhand's Harsil and Dharali continued on Thursday after a cloudburst triggered flash floods in the Himalayan towns earlier this week.
59 people, including 50 civilians and 9 soldiers, are still missing, while five deaths have been confirmed in the incident.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Lieutenant General Navin Sachedva, Chief of Staff, Central Command, said the civil administration, Indian Air Force, NDME, ITBP, and the Indian Army have intensified the joint relief operations.
He further said that special forces from Agra have been flown in AN32 and C-295 aircraft. Medical and engineering equipment have been moved, and an engineer task force has been deployed, including with the Border Road Organisation, with efforts to clear the communication lines, Sachdeva said.
"Indian Army, Army Aviation, and the IAF, in complete synergy, are undertaking sorties through Chinooks, Mi-17s, ALHs, and Cheetahs. Our signalers are ensuring restoration of communication for which satellite phones have been provisioned," he added.
Uttarakhand Cloudburst: Top Points
- 274 tourists stranded in Gangotri and nearby areas have been rescued, including 131 from Gujarat and 123 from Maharashtra.
- Army Chinook helicopters are airlifting paramilitary forces and medical teams from Harshil to affected zones.
- Mi-17 helicopters are flying out of Nelong, ferrying NDRF teams and bringing back stranded civilians.
- Road access to Nelong remains open, making it the main hub for aerial operations, as Dharali’s helipad is still non-functional.
- ITBP choppers rescued 61 people by Thursday morning; one was flown to the hospital for urgent care.
- 190 people were evacuated from Dharali on Wednesday alone, thanks to improved air access.
- CM Pushkar Singh Dhami met evacuees at Matli helipad and assured them of full state support.
- Rescue teams are navigating mountains of debris using sniffer dogs and ground-penetrating radar to search for survivors.
- Nearly half of Dharali village—a popular stop on the Gangotri route—is buried under mud and rubble.
- The Border Roads Organisation reported four major landslides between Harshil and Dharali; long stretches of road are underwater.
- Harsil Valley remains completely cut off after a 100-metre iron bridge collapsed, with no access yet for rescuers.
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