At least 4 killed, several missing, houses swept away as devastating flashfloods hit Uttarkashi

Cloudburst in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district on Tuesday led to flash floods, with several houses either left damaged or swept away by the force of water. At least four people have been killed, officials said.

Dharali is the main stopover on way to Gangotri and home to many hotels, restaurants and home stays.

The devastating flashflood came in the wake of a cloudburst somewhere in the catchment area of the Kheer Ganga river, locals said.

According to initial reports, at least four people have died, Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya told reporters. An Army team from Harsil has been rushed to the spot.

About 10-12 people could be buried under the debris, Rajesh Panwar, a villager, told PTI. He said 20-25 hotels and homestays may have been washed away.

Landslide due to heavy rains in Uttarakhand(L), Stranded people being rescued after the water level of a river increased during the monsoon season

There is fear of increase in water levels, Uttarakhand police said in a post on X, asking residents to stay away from rivers.

"Due to continuous rainfall in hilly and plain areas, the water level of rivers is rising. We request everyone not to put their lives at risk for selfies, bathing, or thrill-seeking," cops said in a video post.

Uttarakhand has increasingly been prone to flash floods and landslide fury with experts calling out climate change as a primary driving factor.

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami called the news 'extremely sad and distressing' and said SDRF, NDRF, district administration and other related teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations on a war footing.

"In this regard, I am in constant contact with senior officials, and the situation is being closely monitored. I pray to God for everyone's safety," Dhami wrote on X.

There was widespread panic in the neighbouring villages following the flashflood. Videos from the area showed a torrent of muddy water and silt rushing down the slopes towards settlements along the banks of the river. People could be heard screaming in fear.

In one video, people can be heard in the video gasping for breath and trying to call their relatives in affected areas to find out if they were alright. A voice is heard in the video saying, "Everything is finished."

(With PTI inputs)