Dharali floods: Army, NDRF race against time to find missing

Blocked roads and bad weather hamper search

- MPOST BUREAU

UTTARAKASHI (Uttarakhand): As dusk descended over Dharali on Wednesday, rescue operations entered a crucial phase in the flood-hit Himalayan village, where authorities confirmed the rescue of 190 people and the recovery of two bodies.

Search teams continued to dig through a thick layer of mud and debris that had engulfed dozens of homes, uprooted trees, and overturned vehicles. The disaster struck the ecologically fragile region on Tuesday afternoon, leaving widespread devastation.

Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said that 15 people remain missing, while four deaths are suspected. "We have recovered two bodies. Search operations are ongoing for the others," he said.

Military and disaster response forces have been deployed in large numbers. Two Chinook helicopters carrying 50 NDRF personnel and rescue equipment reached the Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun, with additional AN-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force prepared for deployment.

Despite these reinforcements, persistent rain and road damage have slowed progress.

Personnel from the ITBP, Army, and SDRF have been combing through tonnes of rubble. Officials noted that the Army's Ibex Brigade, which participated in February's Mana avalanche rescue, is preparing to use ground-penetrating radar and sniffer dogs to locate those buried beneath the debris.