DEHRADUN: Rescue teams rushed to India’s Himalayan region on Tuesday after flash floods tore through a mountain valley, wiping out much of a town and leaving at least four people dead.
Videos aired on Indian media showed torrents of muddy water engulfing multi-storey buildings in Dharali, a popular tourist spot in Uttarakhand state.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed that rescue operations were underway “on a war footing.” Senior local official Prashant Arya reported four fatalities but warned the number could increase.
“Luckily, most of the people were at a fair in a safe location,“ said an unnamed disaster official.
India’s army deployed teams to the area, describing the disaster as “a massive mudslide... triggering a sudden flow of debris and water through the settlement.”
Post-flood images released by the military revealed streets buried under thick mud, with some houses submerged up to their rooftops.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences, stating, “No stone is being left unturned in providing assistance to the people.”
Chief Minister Dhami attributed the flood to an intense downpour, calling the damage “extremely sad and distressing.”
The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert after recording “extremely heavy” rainfall of 21 cm (8 inches) in parts of Uttarakhand.
Monsoon-related floods and landslides are frequent in the region, but experts warn climate change and urbanisation are worsening their impact.
The UN’s World Meteorological Organization has previously flagged such disasters as a “distress signal” of climate change disrupting global water cycles. - AFP
