Dharali Bazaar in Kashipur district of Uttarakhand, India, has been devastated by a flash flood triggered by a cloudburst. The flood, which occurred around 1:45 PM on Tuesday, caused the Khirganga River to overflow, sweeping away dozens of houses and hotels in the area. At least four people have been confirmed dead, while around 50 others are reported missing.
Dharali Bazaar, located on the Rishikesh–Gangotri route, lies along the banks of the Bhagirathi River, with the Khirganga River flowing through the center of the market area. The Khirganga eventually merges into the Bhagirathi. It was this small river that witnessed a devastating flash flood on Tuesday. Gangotri Dham is about 50 kilometers from Dharali, and a significant number of Nepali pilgrims also visit the shrine. The pilgrimage to Gangotri typically takes place between April–May and October–November. Pilgrims heading to Gangotri must pass through Dharali Bazaar.
A large number of Nepalis also travel to the Dharali region during the apple harvesting season to work on local farms. However, it is still unclear whether any Nepalis were affected by Tuesday’s flood. “So far, there is no information confirming that any Nepali has been affected,” said Prakash Mall, Consular at the Nepali Embassy in Delhi. “We are trying to gather more details,” he added.
In previous monsoon seasons, Nepalis have lost their lives due to landslides in areas such as Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi, and Karnaprayag. Just last year, a Nepali national died in a landslide in Sonprayag, along the Rudraprayag route.
Janak Pawar, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Uttarkashi, said that the exact scale of the damage caused by the flood is yet to be confirmed. “There’s no concrete data yet on the extent of the damage,” Pawar stated. “Rescue teams have reached the site, but continuous rainfall and blocked roads due to flooding have made rescue operations difficult,” he added. According to him, a team led by Uttarkashi District Magistrate (DM) Prashant Arya and Superintendent of Police (SP) Sarita Dobal has already reached the affected area.
Quoting District Magistrate Arya, Indian Hindi daily Amar Ujala reported that four deaths have been confirmed in the Dharali flood, with at least 50 people missing. According to the Uttarakhand Disaster Management Center in Dehradun, it is estimated that 30 to 40 houses and hotels have been submerged or swept away by the flood.
“Since the flood occurred during the daytime, the human casualty might be lower,” said an official from the disaster center, “but as this is a route leading to Gangotri, there is a possibility that some pilgrims were caught in the flood.”
Teams from the army, police, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed for search and rescue operations in the flood-affected areas. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has instructed authorities to ensure there are no shortcomings in rescue and relief efforts. The Disaster Management Center has urged people in the region to remain alert, as the weather department has forecast further heavy rainfall, increasing the risk in the area.
Following the flood in Dharali, electricity and phone services have been disrupted, which has further hampered search and rescue efforts. The Disaster Management Center in Dehradun reported that power lines in the region have been severed due to the disaster.
Cloudbursts were also reported in Harsil and Sakki Tap—two areas located about 10 kilometers from Dharali along the Rishikesh–Gangotri route. Although no human casualties have been reported from those places, police confirmed that landslides have occurred in dozens of locations along the Gangotri route, causing road blockages.
Upon receiving reports of the severe damage caused by the flood in Dharali, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow and instructed the concerned authorities to actively engage in relief and rescue efforts. Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami over the phone and assured that the central government would provide full support for the response operations.
Northern Indian states, particularly Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, have been experiencing intense rainfall over the past few weeks. The weather-related disasters have taken a heavy toll—Himachal Pradesh alone has reported 103 deaths and 36 people missing. On Monday alone, heavy rains led to the complete closure of traffic on 310 roads across Himachal Pradesh.
