Search, rescue operation underway in Gangotri region: 87 airlifted, over 50 missing

Over 450 Army, ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, and state police personnel carrying out rescue, search operations. Additional 814 rescuers await road clearance to reach Dharali

Uttarkashi: At least 87 people, mostly pilgrims stranded in the Gangotri Dham area of Uttarakhand, were airlifted from Harsil to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Matli helipad near Uttarkashi on Thursday, as search and rescue operations continued in the Harsil-Dharali region.

Over 400 people, including 300 pilgrims and 100 local traders, stranded in Gangotri Dham are being evacuated to Harsil (Sourced/ HT)

Currently, over 450 personnel from the Army, ITBP, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and state police are carrying out rescue and search operations following suspected cloudbursts earlier this week that triggered flash floods along the banks of the Kheer Ganga river in Uttarakhand. An additional 814 rescuers are awaiting road clearance to reach the affected areas in Dharali, according to officials.

Over 400 people, including 300 pilgrims and 100 local traders, stranded in Gangotri Dham are being evacuated to Harsil, from where they are being airlifted by more than a dozen helicopters, according to the state disaster response machinery, which primarily consists of the SDRF, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), and the Incident Response System (IRS).

“So far, 274 people have been brought to Harsil from Gangotri and other areas.These include 131 from Gujarat, 123 from Maharashtra, 21 from Madhya Pradesh, 12 from UP, 6 from Rajasthan, 7 from Delhi, 5 from Assam, 5 from Karnataka, 3 from Telangana and 1 from Punjab. All are safe and are being brought to Uttarkashi and Dehradun,” secretary disaster management Vinod Kumar Suman said.

The first Chinook helicopter of the Indian Air Force that landed in Harsil, carrying NDRF personnel, equipment, and other essential supplies, later evacuated people to Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun.

A statement issued by the Indian Army, and shared by the state government, confirmed three civilian deaths and stated that over 50 people remain missing as per the civil administration’s estimate. It also reiterated that nine army personnel—including one JCO and eight jawans—are untraceable.

The statement added that nine army personnel and three civilians have been airlifted to Dehradun, and three critically injured civilians were sent to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh. Eight civilians were admitted to the district hospital in Uttarkashi, and two bodies have been recovered.

Meanwhile, road connectivity to Dharali remains severely disrupted at multiple locations, including Batwadi, Linchigad, near Harsil, Gangnani, and Dharali. Restoration work is being carried out, officials said.