Rescuers combed through wreckage in a flood-ravaged Himalayan village in northern India on Wednesday, racing to find dozens still missing after torrential rains triggered deadly flash floods that killed at least four people and buried many others under debris.
The floodwaters tore through Dharali, a remote mountain village in Uttarakhand state, on Tuesday, sweeping away homes, a local market and stretches of road.
Search teams from the Indian army and the National Disaster Response Force are urgently looking for the missing, including at least 11 soldiers feared trapped beneath the rubble. As of Wednesday, four bodies had been recovered, officials said.
“The search is still ongoing,” said disaster management official Dilip Singh. He added that about 60 people had been rescued and relocated to safer areas, but treacherous weather, damaged roads and rough terrain continue to slow operations.
An army camp in Harsil, about 4 miles (7 kilometers) from Dharali, was also hit by flash floods, and 11 army personnel were reported missing, said Col. Harshvardhan, who is leading rescue efforts.
“The conditions are extremely challenging, but our teams are staying put,” said Lt. Col. Manish Srivastava, a defense spokesperson.
The flooding is the latest in a series of disasters to batter the Himalayan region in recent months.
Sudden, intense downpours known as cloudbursts are increasingly common in Uttarakhand, a mountainous region prone to flash floods and landslides during the monsoon season. These events can trigger intense flooding and landslides, affecting thousands across remote areas.
Similar incidents were recorded in Dharali in 1864, 2013 and 2014. In 2013, more than 6,000 people died and 4,500 villages were affected when a cloudburst devastated the state.
Experts say cloudbursts have become more frequent in recent years, partly due to climate change.
Meanwhile, the impact of such events has worsened because of unplanned development in fragile mountain zones.
“This village sits on a ticking time bomb,” said geologist S.P. Sati. “It is in a highly fragile zone.”
Uttarakhand, known for its rugged terrain, pilgrimage sites and tourist destinations, has witnessed a growing number of extreme weather events in recent years.
Lokendra Bisht, a local lawmaker who runs a homestay in the area, said residents ran for their lives, but the floodwaters came so quickly that “there was nothing anyone could do.”
“The whole of Dharali village was wiped out,” he said.
