Uttarakhand Cloudburst Update: Dharali Faces Heavy Loss —When and How Do Cloudbursts Happen
The sudden water flow has left several people (feared) trapped under debris. As per reports, the search and rescue operations are on.
Eyewitness accounts and videos that are being shared on social media platforms show a grim picture. One clip shared online shows a sudden surge of water gushing down the hillside with mud, rocks, trees, and debris. In the background, we can hear people screaming.
The confirmation of the sad incident was done by District Magistrate Prashant Arya who called it a "major cloudburst".
Dharali is a village close to Harsil, which is a prime tourist destination. Rajesh Panwar, a local resident who spoke to PTI, said around 10 to 12 people might be buried beneath the debris. He also estimated that as many as 20 to 25 hotels and homestays may have been swept away in the deluge.
"It all happened so fast. The water just came roaring down," he said.
The incident has triggered a wave of panic among people and travellers across surrounding villages.
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As per ANI, home minister Amit Shah has spoken to Uttarakhand's chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami about the cloudburst condition in the Dharali. Disaster response teams, including personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), have been deployed.
Uttarakhand Police has made a public advisory, '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'.
As of now, the local authorities have asked locals to maintain a safe distance from the banks of the rivers. The CM too expressed deep concern. He took to x and stated, 'The news of heavy damage caused by a cloudburst in the Dharali (Uttarkashi) region is extremely sad and distressing.
SDRF, NDRF, district administration, and other related teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations on a war footing.'
Understanding Cloudburst
A cloudburst is a natural calamity which is unpredictable. It happens when there's a sudden and heavy rainfall which normally occurs over a small region in a very small time—often less than an hour, especially in the mountainous regions.
Reason behind a cloudburst
Cloudbursts happens when:
Warm air rapidly rises but cools down.
It then causes intense condensation and rainfall.
Clouds full of moisture get trapped by mountain ranges and next thing you know is heavy rainfall over a small region.
Atmospheric instability leads to the sudden release of massive amounts of precipitation.
Cloudbursts in India are common in mountainous regions including the Himalayas and the Western Ghats.
Cloudburst can have extreme damaging effects, including:
Flash floods
: Rivers and streams can overflow in the matter of seconds.
Landslides
: Saturated slopes may collapse and can wash away homes and roads or anything that comes in its way.
Unpredictability: The worst thing about cloudburst is that these are unpredictable and hence leaves little time for evacuation which causes loss of life.
How to stay safe
Keep checking weather updates
: Use official apps or websites from IMD (India Meteorological Department).
Avoid
:
Do not plan a trip to flood-prone or landslide-prone regions during monsoons.
Carry emergency kit
: Include essentials like drinking water, non-perishable food, torch, batteries, a first-aid kit, and important documents.
But understand one thing that cloudbursts are unpredictable and can be unimaginably deadly! Awareness, early warnings, and quick action are your only defenses.
As of now, it is difficult to assess the complete damage. However, early reports suggest major loss of infrastructure, especially in the tourism-dependent hospitality sector. The Uttarakhand government has appealed to stay calm.
Travellers are advised to keep checking weather forecasts and current status.
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Time of India
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