Devastating flash floods swept through Uttarkashi district in Uttarakhand on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, after relentless rainfall caused the Kheer Ganga river to overflow, wreaking havoc on the remote Himalayan village of Dharali. At least four people are feared dead, with two confirmed fatalities and several others still missing beneath the debris and silt.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami arrived in Dharali—a town perched at an altitude of 8,600 feet- to assess the damage and oversee relief efforts. He confirmed that 190 individuals had been rescued from the flood-affected area by Wednesday, August 6, as emergency teams continued combing through the destruction in search of survivors.
The ferocity of the deluge was captured in chilling videos shared by locals, showing monstrous torrents engulfing buildings, trees, and vehicles. Entire residential structures and hotels were swept away in mere seconds.
Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman reported that 15 people remain unaccounted for. He also confirmed that two bodies were retrieved during Wednesday’s operations, while efforts continue to locate the rest.
As night fell on a battered Dharali, anxiety grew over the fate of those still buried beneath layers of mud and debris. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of continued heavy rainfall in the region, especially in higher-altitude districts, raising concerns over potential secondary incidents.
The disaster has once again drawn attention to the vulnerability of Uttarakhand’s ecologically delicate terrain, frequently threatened by climate-induced calamities such as landslides and flash floods.