A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and eight jawans from the Indian Army are still missing after a devastating cloudburst triggered flash floods and landslides near Uttarkashi’s Dharali, close to Harsil
in Uttarakhand, officials said on Wednesday.
Rescue operations are ongoing in extremely challenging conditions as the region remains cut off from both north and south.
According to officials, the Indian Army has launched a swift and large-scale Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operation. Over 225 Army personnel, including infantry units and combat engineers, are on the ground, conducting search and rescue operations and providing aid to affected villagers.
Engineer teams have reached the worst-hit areas to help clear debris and attempt to restore mobility. Meanwhile, seven teams equipped with Reeco Radar are operating near Tekla, and trained search and rescue dogs have been deployed in Harsil, with more on the way from Army veterinary centres.
Air support has been partially activated. The military helipad at Harsil is operational, and three civil helicopters launched from Sahastradhara have landed successfully at Bhatwari and Harsil, aiding in the evacuation of casualties and delivering relief material.
Chinook, Mi-17, and ALH helicopters are currently on standby at Jolly Grant, Chandigarh, and Sarsawa, awaiting final tasking orders, the officials added.
So far, 70 civilians have been rescued. The civil administration has confirmed five civilian deaths and reported dozens missing. Three injured individuals have been airlifted for treatment.
Several key roads near Bartwari, Linchigad, and Gangrani have been washed away, making access to the affected region difficult. The civil helipad at Dharali also remains out of use due to a mudslide.
Alongside the Indian Army, teams from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are working round the clock to assist those in need and locate the missing.
