Uttarkashi cloudburst | Highlights: IAF, Army continue to search for missing; death toll rises to 5

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: A cloudburst in the upper catchment of the Kheer Ganga river is widely believed to have triggered the flash flood in Uttarkashi's Dharali, but experts feel the amount of rain the Uttarkashi district received on Tuesday was not enough for it to be termed a "cloudburst".

"Data available with us does not reflect the occurrence of a cloudburst," Rohit Thapliyal, a scientist with the India Meteorological Department (IMD), told PTI.

He explained that Uttarkashi received only 27 mm of rain on Tuesday, "which is too little for a cloudburst or flash flood of such devastating intensity".

Asked what could have been the reason for the flash flood if not a cloudburst, he said it was a subject of research. "Only after detailed research can anything be definitively said about what led to the flash flood," he said.

"All I can say is the data available with the meteorological department confirms there was no cloudburst", Thapliyal said.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: Railway track near the Daat Kali Mandir in Haridwar have been blocked due to the landslide.

“Railway engineers and the entire department are continuously engaged in work. There is a possibility that the railway track will be operational by late evening,” SP City Pankaj Gairola told news agency ANI.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: The death toll in the deadly cloudburst and flash floods in Uttarkashi's Dharali rose to five on Wednesday as another body was recovered by the forces. ITBP spokesperson Kamlesh Kamal said that 100 people are still stranded, adding that they will be rescued by evening.

NDRF DIG Mohsen Shahedi said that since the Rishikesh-Uttarkashi Highway is affected due to the debris and heavy rain, movement on the route is slowed down. He said that 11 army jawans are still missing from the Harsil area.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: As Uttarakhand reels in from the aftermath of the Uttarkashi cloudburst, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met with the families of those affected by the cloudburst on Wednesday.

"Met the families of those affected by the disaster in Dharali (Uttarkashi) and assured them of all possible help in this hour of crisis. This disaster has caused immense grief to many families, we understand their pain. Our government fully stands with the affected families," the chief minister wrote on Facebook.

"Disaster management and relief operations are being carried out rapidly. Our priority is to search for every missing person and provide full support to the affected families," he added further.

Before reaching Dharali, the BJP leader also carried out an aerial survey of the flood-ravaged areas and reviewed the rescue operations from the disaster control room in Uttarkashi.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami was seen conducting an aerial survey of Dharali, which was the area affected by a cloudburst on Tuesday.

At least five people have been killed due to the flash floods and mudslides and around 50 to 60 people remain missing.

Rail services on Haridwar-Dehradun route suspended as boulders and mud fall on tracks. As per news agency PTI, the restoration work is underway.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: The Indian Air Force has swung into action in response to the flash flood in Harsil.

As per an official statement from the IAF, Mi-17s and ALH Mk-III, at Bareilly, are on high alert and An-32s, C-295s, from Agra, have landed at Dehradun for the mission in the affected areas.

“Air Force stations at Agra and Bareilly were activated during the night for loading relief and rescue material, along with preparing the IAF and Indian Army, for the rescue missions. Though the dense fog and rain were restricting flying in the morning, the small window of improved visibility is being exploited by the IAF for this joint civil-military operation to address the disaster,” the IAF added further.

As per news agency ANI, a portion of a road collapsed at Maniri in Uttarkashi. This road collapse comes a day after twin cloudbursts hit the district, triggering flash floods and mudslides. Restoration work on the road is underway.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: As many as 51 tourists from Maharashtra, stranded in Uttarkashi district, are safe, the state government said on Wednesday.

The State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) told reporters that 11 tourists are from the Nanded district, and the remaining 40 are from various other districts of Maharashtra.

The Maharashtra government is coordinating with the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority and the Uttarkashi District Disaster Management Centre to ensure assistance and safe evacuation of the tourists.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: As per Kamlesh Kamal, ITBP Spokesperson, a total of five people have been killed due to the cloudburst over Uttarkashi on Tuesday. The ITBP spokesman added that since Tuesday, around 400 people have been rescued.

“Five teams of ITBP consisting of 130 jawans are there in Dharali. More than 100 jawans are en route, and they will reach there soon... We have recovered a body this morning, and more than 100 people have been rescued. Today, we have also set up communication... Now that the equipment has been provided, it is possible that we will see that this rescue operation will gain momentum,” he told reporters.

He further added, "Yesterday, we got information that on the route to Kinnaur, there was a single wooden maxi-shift bridge that was washed away. We learned in the initial stage that about 100 people were stranded... Till this morning, 413 people have been rescued safely. From morning till now, 57 people have been rescued. The information is that 100 more people are stranded there. They will also be rescued by evening. We have received information that one person has lost his life there..."

Uttarkashi cloudburst live: A group of 28 tourists from Kerala has gone missing after a cloudburst triggered massive mudslides in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi on Tuesday, family members said.

Of the 28 individuals, 20 are reportedly from Kerala settled in Maharashtra, while the remaining eight are from various districts in Kerala, a relative of one of the couples in the group told the media, according to a PTI news agency report.

She said the couple's son last spoke to them a day ago.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the recent cloudburst and mudslide in Uttarakhand. The actor-turned-politician said that the tragedy has left people across the country disturbed and those living in the hills gripped by fear.

Speaking to reporters, Ranaut said, "Everyone is pained due to this incident. People living in the hills are in fear following such natural disasters. We are praying that the situation improves soon."

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: As many as 24 residents from Mancher in Pune are stranded following flash floods in Uttarakhand.

“Around 24 citizens from Manchar, Pune are stranded in Uttarakhand due to the recent cloudburst. Their families are extremely distressed as there has been no contact with them for the past 24 hours,” NCP (SP) Baramati MP Supriya Sule wrote on X.

Sharing the same concern, Walse Patil also posted about the stranded tourists from Pune. He also spoke to Dhami and said, “I have personally contacted the Uttarakhand CM and requested him for immediate assistance. I was informed by the Uttarakhand Disaster Management Department that all the pilgrims are safe but could not be contacted because of no power supply in the area and they are trying to safely evacuate them."

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: Rescue operations are underway in Dharali village, which was devastated by flash floods following a cloudburst on Tuesday. Teams from the Army, NDRF, SDRF, and local authorities are working round the clock to trace the missing and assist affected residents.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has raised concern over the increasing impact of climate change on India’s hilly regions, in the aftermath of the deadly Uttarkashi cloudburst.

“This is an imminent danger, you could have seen what happened in Ramban, thankfully only properties got damages, there was no casualty, but the way weather is changing, tree felling happening in forests, mountains are being cut, I feel that we also face this danger. I express regret on what happened in Uttarakhand, we stand with the administration, people, and express our sympathies,” he said.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and others from the INDIA bloc on Wednesday offered their condolences to those affected by the Uttarkashi cloudburst tragedy. Rajya Sabha LoP Kharge said, “An incident happened in Uttarakhand, at least 50 people died, we pay our condolences.”

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: After meeting CM Pushkar Dhami, Mahendra Chauhan, a victim of the Dharali cloudburst, told ANI, "CM Dhami has assured that very soon heli services will be started so that people can be rescued from the spot. My sister, her husband and their child have been missing since yesterday. After this incident, I have not been able to speak to them..."

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: After meeting Pushkar Singh Dhami, a Dharali village resident said, "I am from Dharali village and my younger brother and his family have been missing since yesterday. CM Dhami said that we are waiting for the weather to improve so that people can be brought to safer places by airlifting them... CM has assured us that all possible efforts are being made to rescue the people safely," reported ANI.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami met with the victims of the Uttarkashi cloudburst at the PWD Guest House in Dharali on Wednesday, as rescue and relief operations continue in the affected region.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: Rajya Sabha MP from Uttarakhand, Naresh Bansal, commented on the Uttarkashi cloudburst, saying, "This is a natural calamity. The people of Uttarakhand face such challenges every year, but this cloudburst has severely disrupted businesses and the daily lives of residents.”

“Even army camps have been damaged. Several people are missing, and a rescue operation is underway to locate them. NDRF and SDRF teams have been deployed and are working at full capacity to rescue those affected and provide food and other essential services. The state government is actively managing the situation, and chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has visited the incident site today," news agency PTI quoted Bansal, as saying, in Delhi outside the Parliament.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted a field inspection of the rising river levels and nearby affected areas in Uttarkashi on Wednesday. He instructed all officials and rescue teams to remain in alert mode for 24 hours, as the situation remains critical following the cloudburst and flash floods, reported news agency ANI.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: Due to a cloudburst and landslides at several locations, the Uttarkashi–Harsil road in the Bhatwadi area has been completely washed out, authorities said on Wednesday. Connectivity to the affected region remains severely hampered as rescue and relief operations continue.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: DIG, NDRF, Mohsen Shahedi, said in Delhi, "Around 150 people have been taken to safe spots… Over 100 people are missing."

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates: A new video highlights the difficult terrain that rescue teams are navigating in their efforts to locate more than 100 people still missing after the cloudburst in Uttarkashi.

Incessant rainfall has severely damaged stretches of NH-34 (Uttarkashi–Gangotri axis), including a 100-metre washout at Papadgad and heavy debris blockage near Dharali.

Meanwhile, Mohsen Shahedi, DIG, NDRF told news agency ANI, "Around 150 people have been taken to safe spots. As far as the information, four people have been found dead, and over 100 people are missing. We are still waiting for the confirmation from the local administration," he added.

Uttarkashi cloudburst live updates:Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting to review the rescue and relief operations underway in Uttarkashi’s Dharali village, which was hit by a cloudburst and flash flood on Tuesday, reported news agency ANI.