(Image source from: Indiatoday.in)
At least 28 visitors from Kerala are reported missing, as per their families, after a huge mudslide hit Dharali village following a sudden downpour in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, on Tuesday, resulting in four fatalities. The heavy rains over the Kheer Gad area caused swift floods that drove a large amount of water and mud through Dharali village and surrounding areas. Dharali, an important stop on the way to Gangotri, faced significant damage. Many homes, guesthouses, eateries, and hotels were either harmed or completely taken away by the floods. While 130 individuals were saved from the flash floods in Dharali when emergency services acted quickly, over 100 people remain unaccounted for, which includes the group of 28 tourists. Among these 28 tourists, 20 reportedly come from Kerala but live in Maharashtra, while the other eight reside in different districts of Kerala, as stated by the news agency PTI, quoting a relative of one couple in the group.
"They mentioned they were on their way from Uttarkashi to Gangotri around 8:30 am that morning. The landslides happened along that path. We haven’t been able to reach them since they departed," the relative mentioned, noting that she last spoke with them a day prior. She added that the travel agency from Haridwar, which organized the 10-day tour in Uttarakhand, was also unable to give any updates about the group's location. "Their phones might have died by now. Currently, there is no mobile signal in that area," she explained. Rescue and aid teams, including the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Disaster Response Force, and State Disaster Response Force, are working in the region. Rescuers have found two bodies under the debris in the flood-affected Dharali village. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with MPs from Uttarakhand at the Parliament House on Wednesday due to the cloudburst situation.
"We are doing everything we can to ensure everyone is rescued safely," stated Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, confirming that damaged roads and a fallen bridge are making access very challenging. "The Disaster Operations Station in Dehradun is functioning around the clock to provide needed support."
