Indian army hunts missing scores after deadly Himalayan flood
Uttarakhand Mudslide Floods
Overview
- At least four fatalities reported after a wall of muddy water entered the town of Dharali.
- More than 50 individuals missing, down from an earlier estimate of around one hundred.
- Heavy rains continued to hamper rescue efforts, damaging communication lines and limiting phone access.
Search and Rescue Operations
- Indian Army deployed sniffer dogs, drones and earth-moving equipment to locate the missing.
- Military helicopters transported essential supplies and rescued those stranded after roads were washed away, despite rain and fog.
- Additional army columns, tracker dogs and logistical drones were moved to accelerate the efforts.
Impact on Dharali
- Images released by the army show men heaving rocks by hand and earth movers clearing debris to open roads.
- The mudlocked a large portion of the town, with depths reaching 50 feet (15 metres) in certain areas.
- Several buildings were swallowed entirely by the sudden onslaught of debris.
Environmental Context
- Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami described the flood as the result of a “cloudburst” of rain, deploying teams on a “war footing.”
- Experts attribute the increasing frequency and severity of monsoon floods and landslides to climate change and urbanisation.
- The World Meteorological Organization warned that vastly intensified floods and droughts signal an unpredictable future.
- Hydrologist Manish Shrestha pointed out that 270 millimetres (10 inches) of rain in 24 hours constitutes an extreme event, especially in mountainous regions.
