11 Army Personnel Missing, Camp Hit as Uttarakhand Cloudburst Rescue Ops Continue
The crisis in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi deepened on Tuesday as ten soldiers and one Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) from the Indian Army went missing while conducting rescue operations in the disaster-hit Dharali area. An army camp involved in the relief efforts has also been impacted by the devastating flash floods, and one officer has sustained injuries.
The soldiers were part of the massive rescue mission launched after a powerful cloudburst triggered a landslide and flash floods, killing at least four civilians and leaving over 50 others missing. The cloudburst caused severe flooding in the Kheer Ganga, completely wiping out the Dharali market and causing significant damage around the Harshil helipad.
Despite the immense challenges and personal risk, personnel from the 14 Rajputana Rifles have been actively engaged in relief and rescue operations, providing critical assistance in the immediate aftermath. So far, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has successfully rescued 37 villagers from the deluge.
As rescue operations continue, the region was hit by a second cloudburst in the Sukhi area, though fortunately, no casualties were reported from this incident. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rain alert for Uttarakhand over the next few days, prompting authorities to take precautionary measures.
In response to the forecast, all schools and Anganwadi centers in the districts of Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Almora, Haridwar, and Pithoragarh will remain closed.
