Uttarkashi flash floods: 43 still missing in Dharali, says official; heavy rain hampers rescue efforts

Nearly a week after the devastating flash flood in Dharali, officials on Monday (11 August) confirmed for the first time that 43 people remain missing, including nine Army personnel, The Times of India reported.

The officials also warned that “heavy to very heavy” rain forecast for Uttarkashi and nearby districts until 15 August could trigger fresh landslides and flooding, further hampering search and relief operations.

Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey said locating those trapped under debris remains the administration’s top priority. A joint team comprising the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and geologists has been operating in the disaster-hit area, where unstable slopes and damaged roads have made even short journeys arduous.

“Among the missing are nine Army personnel, eight Dharali residents, five people from neighbouring villages, and others from Tehri, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Nepal,” Pandey said. Contact has been re-established with five of the 29 missing Nepali workers, but the rest are still unaccounted for. Two bodies have been recovered so far.

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Around 300 residents have chosen to remain in Dharali despite the constant movement of relief vehicles, while others have relocated to Uttarkashi or Dehradun. So far, 1,278 people, including all stranded visitors and locals without means to leave, have been evacuated.

Road restoration is progressing slowly due to adverse weather. A Bailey bridge at Limchagaad has been completed, restoring an important link, and heavy machinery has been deployed along the damaged stretch between Dabrani and Sonagad. However, during one operation, a Pokland excavator slipped into the swollen Bhagirathi river while clearing debris. The driver was reportedly swept away and remains missing.