Uttarkashi Flash Floods: Scores Still Missing; Tourists Evacuated from Gangotri

Aug 7, 2025 - Around 234 people have been rescued so far while more than 50 continue to remain missing in Uttarkashi after the August 5 flash floods in the region. Rescue efforts are under way even as five deaths have been confirmed so far. Two bodies were retrieved in Dharali yesterday even as anxious residents awaited the rescue of people trapped under the massive river of sludge along with cars, houses and trees.

A sudden cloudburst in Kheer Ganga river catchment unleashed a devastating mudslide and flash floods on August 5 submerging homes and sweeping away hotels and shops in Dharali, Sukki and Harsil.

The missing include locals, tourists and probably labourers who were working on under-construction hotels in the affected towns.

According to officials, monstrous mudslides have buried almost half of the picturesque tourist town of Dharali which is a key halt point for travellers to Gangotri. Yesterday, around 190 people were rescue from Dharali which has many hotels and homestays.

Stranded tourists are being evacuated from Gangotri Dham and moved to safer locations. Around 274 people have been moved of whom 131 are from Gujarat and 123 from Maharashtra. 16 persons from Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district are missing, according to Jalgaon officials.

The Army, NDRF, SDRF and ITBP have intensified rescue operations. Helicopters have been deployed as infrastructure issues, including landslides and blocked roads, hamper relief efforts. Harsil Valley, another town which was hit by the raging waters, has become inaccessible owing to the collapse of a 100-metre iron bridge.

The Uttarkakhand government has sanctioned Rs 20 crore from the State Disaster Response Fund for relief operations.