Flash Floods Ravage Uttarkashi Homes Washed Away Lives Lost in Overnight Deluge

Uttarkashi, August 5 — A quiet evening turned into a nightmare in Uttarkashi as sudden cloudbursts triggered devastating flash floods late Sunday night, claiming at least four lives, leaving many missing, and reducing entire clusters of homes to debris.

The calamity struck villages along the Asi Ganga and Bhagirathi rivers, where torrential rains led to massive water surges that battered infrastructure, uprooted trees, and tore through settlements. Rescue teams rushed to the spot at dawn, but access to several hamlets remains cut off due to damaged roads and collapsed bridges.

District officials confirmed that four bodies have been recovered so far. Among the deceased were two children. At least a dozen others, including tourists and locals, are still unaccounted for. Their families, many of whom watched their homes vanish in minutes, now wait anxiously on higher ground.

“We heard a deafening roar and within moments, the river was inside our house,” said Rajni Devi, a resident of Mando village, whose home was swept away. “There was no time to grab anything — we just ran.”

The Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), along with ITBP and local administration, has launched large-scale search operations using drones and sniffer dogs. Helicopters remain on standby but are yet to be deployed due to poor visibility.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reviewed the situation early Monday and assured that relief camps were being set up in safer areas. “All affected families will be provided shelter, food, and compensation. Rescue efforts will continue until every missing person is accounted for,” he said.

Environmentalists have once again raised concerns over unchecked construction in ecologically sensitive zones. “The mountains are sending warnings, but we’re not listening,” said a Dehradun-based geologist. “This won’t be the last such disaster.”

As monsoon rains continue to batter the hill state, the administration has issued a red alert in parts of Uttarkashi and neighboring districts. Locals have been advised to stay indoors and avoid riverbanks.

For now, Uttarkashi mourns its dead — and braces for what more the skies may unleash.