Uttarakhand Trembles Again: Cloudburst Havoc in Dharali Sparks Memories of 2013 Kedarnath Tragedy

National News: A major natural disaster occurred in Dharali village of Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand on Tuesday. Due to heavy rains, there was a cloudburstnear Gangotri Dham and Mukhwa village, due to which a drain overflowed and its water started flowing very fast into the lower areas. In this incident, many houses were washed away, and a large number of people lost contact.

The settlements washed away by the flood in the drain

The sudden flood in Dharali village at around 1:45 pm wreaked havoc in the entire area. Houses, shops, hotels, and lodges were all swept away by the strong flow of water. Local people said that they had never seen such a horrific scene in their lives. People could not even come out of their homes, and the village was destroyed in no time.

Four dead, dozens missing

Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya informed that so far four people have been confirmed dead in the accident. Apart from this, 60-70 people are missing. Some eyewitnesses have expressed apprehension that more than 100 people may be buried under the debris. There is an atmosphere of panic in the area due to this accident. This incident reminded the people of Uttarakhand of the Kedarnath. disaster of 2013. At that time, due to heavy rains and cloudbursts, water from Chorabari Lake flooded the Mandakini River, in which more than 5000 people lost their lives. This recent incident of Dharali has revived the same pain.

The army & administration engaged in relief work

As soon as the information of the incident was received, the Indian Army started relief and rescue work. The army camp is only 4 kilometers away from Dharali, so help could arrive immediately. So far 15-20 people have been evacuated safely, and the injured are being treated at the Army Medical Center. SDRF and local administration are also continuously carrying out rescue operations, but the challenge is big due to bad weather.

PM Modi and the Home Minister took stock

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed deep grief over this accident and expressed condolences to the victims. He said that no stone will be left unturned in the relief and rescue work. At the same time, Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami over the phone and inquired about the relief work and assured all possible help from the central government.

Administration's preparation and helpline number

The district administration has also issued two helpline numbers to speed up the relief work—01374-222126 and 94565-56431—so that people can get information about their relatives or ask for help. Chief Minister Dhami has instructed all the District Magistrates to remain alert and start relief work with immediate effect.

Heavy rains have become the biggest challenge.

Continuous heavy rains and bad weather in the area are hampering relief work. Due to the hilly terrain, the roads have been blocked, which is making it difficult for rescue teams to reach. Still, the relief teams are trying their best to evacuate as many people as possible. This disaster is another big blow for Uttarakhand. The need for a strong disaster management system has once again been highlighted in this hilly state, which is repeatedly facing natural disasters. At present, the administration, the army, and the local people are trying to deal with this crisis together.