Horrible cloudburst washes away Indian village, residents

A devastating cloudburst struck the Dharali area near Harsil in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district on Tuesday, washing away a village and leaving several residents reportedly missing.

- 

Following the sudden surge in water levels, especially in Kheer Gadh near Dharali, large-scale damage was reported in the local market area, prompting an immediate response from the police, fire department, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Indian Army.

"Due to the rising water levels in Kheer Gadh in Dharali, Uttarkashi, reports of damage have been received in the Dharali market area. Police, Fire department, SDRF and Army, along with other disaster relief and rescue teams, are engaged in relief and rescue operations at the scene," Uttarakhand Police stated in a public advisory.

Following the calamity, the Indian Army mounted a prompt and large-scale rescue operation to assist the affected civilians.

The landslide occurred around 1:45 PM near Dharali village, just 4 km from the Indian Army camp at Harshil. Within ten minutes of the incident, the Army mobilised 150 personnel to the disaster site.

Rescue teams immediately began evacuating trapped villagers and providing critical assistance on the ground. So far, between 15 and 20 individuals have been rescued and evacuated safely.

The injured were promptly transported to the Army's medical facility in Harshil for urgent treatment.

Authorities have urged locals to maintain a safe distance from the riverbanks and ensure the safety of children and livestock.