9 army personnel missing in Uttarkashi district flash flood

Lt Col Manish Shrivastava PRO (Defence) Dehradun said two army personnel who were missing after the flash flood have safely recovered

Published on: Aug 5, 2025, 23:27:35 IST

By Neeraj Santoshi

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Dehradun: Nine Indian Army personnel are still missing in the devastating flash flood in the Kheer Ganga river that led to large-scale destruction in Dharali village, 4 kilometres from Harsil on the Gangotri highway and also struck the army camp in the area, said officials.

Rescue operation underway following landslide and flash floods triggered by a cloudburst near Dharali of Uttarkashi district (@adgpi)

Lt Col Manish Shrivastava PRO (Defence) Dehradun said two army personnel who were missing after the flash flood have been traced and rescued. “Despite being cut off and unit base adversely affected and 9 personnel feared missing, the team continues to operate with unwavering determination,” he said.

He said Col Harshvardhan, commanding officer of 14th Battalion Rajputana Rifles, was personally leading 150 personnel in critical rescue and relief operations in the wake of the devastating mudslide at Kheer Gad, Dharali.

“Torrential rain and collapsed connectivity hasn’t deterred their resolve to safeguard every civilian. Their grit under extreme adversity reflects the true spirit of the Indian Army, resilient, selfless and always ready to serve the Nation. In the meantime, additional columns are being moved to be pressed into rescue operations”, he added.

Earlier in the evening, Brigadier Mandeep Dhillon, Brigade Commander, IBEX Brigade said “Rescue operations are underway. We reached the site within ten minutes as our unit in Harsil Camp is nearby. Those who are injured are receiving treatment. Unfortunately, the mudslide and cloud burst also struck the Indian Army camp and portions of our rescue columns. Despite the same, the Indian army is resolute in its endeavour to carry out the rescue operations and assist the local populace”, he said

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

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