India’s flood rescue efforts hampered by landslides, blocked roads

After at least four people were killed and dozens reported missing after flash floods and landslides swept through Uttarakhand, northern Himalayan state, in the country, at least four rescue workers are battling heavy rain and blocked roads.

Dharali, a village in Uttarkashi district where pilgrims frequently travel to the Hindu pilgrimage town of Gangotri, was suddenly struck by a sudden upheaval of muddy water and debris on Tuesday.

Strong monsoon rains continued to lash the area until Wednesday, causing delays in rescue efforts.

According to Al Jazeera, there are at least eight soldiers who are still missing at a nearby army base, and more than 190 people have been rescued.

Telephone lines are still infected, and there is only a limited amount of communication with the affected area. According to Prashant Arya, a local official, the roads leading to the village have either fallen or been blocked by large boulders.

He told Reuters that “a significant portion of the village is covered in mud.” Some regions have a depth of up to 15 meters, or the depth of an entire building.

About 50 people are still unaccounted for, according to the Indian army. The National Disaster Response Force’s Mohsen Shahedi stated that “the search for the missing is ongoing.”

Additional “military columns,” tracker dogs, drones, and heavy earthmoving equipment have been deployed, according to the army’s central command. Supplies, including medical supplies, are being delivered to those stranded by military helicopters.

Authorities were forced to issue satellite phones to rescue teams after their mobile and electrical towers were destroyed by the floodwaters.

Dharali’s residents fled for their lives as dark, debris-filled waters rushed down torrents of television footage that swept through buildings and streets. Parts of the village were buried beneath mud, according to a video shared by the chief minister’s office.

By Tuesday night, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed that about 130 people had been saved and that helicopters were prepared to transport relief supplies to remote areas that had been blocked by flooding.

“People were unable to comprehend what was happening. Suman Semwal, who was a witness from a nearby village upstream, reported to The Indian Express how her father saw the flood hit with a “thud” and “unimaginable magnitude” and described how it happened 15 seconds later.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department, Uttarakhand’s major rivers have risen above the danger level. Due to the incessant rains, residents have been relocated to higher ground, according to a statement from the Indian Army.

According to Hydrologist Manish Shrestha, 270 mm of rainfall recorded in 24 hours is considered an “extreme event,” making it particularly risky in mountainous areas where it is “more concentrated” impact.