Rescuers are looking for dozens of people who are feared to be trapped after a massive cloudburst triggered heavy rains and flash floods in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand.
Teams, including army and paramilitaries, have reached Dharali village in Uttarkashi district, which is believed to have borne the brunt of the floods.
Dramatic videos of the disaster show a giant wave of water gushing through the area, crumpling buildings in its path. A tourist spot, Dharali is populated with hotels, resorts and restaurants.
A cloudburst is an extreme, sudden downpour of rain over a small area in a short period of time, often leading to flash floods.
It took place at around 13:30 India time (08:00 GMT) when a large amount of water came down, swelling the Kheerganga river and sending tonnes of muddy waters gushing downwards on the hilly terrain, covering roads, buildings and shops in Dharali.
Eyewitnesses from a nearby village who shot the dramatic footage of the muddy water coursing through the streets could be heard shrieking, blowing whistles and shouting “run, run”, but said the sudden surge did not give people the chance to run away.
They said they believed many people to be trapped under the debris.
The ancient Kalpkedar temple is also covered under the slush and is believed to have been damaged, they added.
The sludge from Kheerganga has blocked a part of the region’s main river Bhagirathi [which becomes India’s holiest river Ganges once it travels downstream] and created an artificial lake, submerging vast tracts of land, including a government helipad.
Concern is growing that if this water is not drained out quickly, it can pose a serious threat to towns and villages downstream.
Army personnel who have now arrived at the location are making announcements asking people to stay away from the water.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered his “condolences to the people affected by the tragedy” in a post on social media site X.
“I pray for the well-being of all the victims… Relief and rescue teams are engaged in every possible effort. No stone is being left unturned in providing assistance to the people,” he wrote.
Earlier, Prashant Arya, the senior-most official of Uttarkashi, said communication had been erratic because of poor connectivity in the area.
“As it’s a populated area with lots of restaurants and hotels, we’ve dispatched rescue teams to the site,” he added.
Dharali is located 2km from Harsil, which is a popular tourist destination and also has a huge Indian army base. A camp of the paramilitary Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is also located near the area.
Personnel from the two forces have reached the site of the disaster and officials said they were assessing the situation.
But rescue is expected to be slow because the area is continuing to receive heavy rains.
Some of the injured are receiving treatment at the army camp in Harsil, reports said.
