Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand | August 6, 2025 — A group of 28 tourists from Kerala, including some settled in Maharashtra, has gone missing following a massive cloudburst and subsequent flash floods in the Dharali area of Uttarkashi on Tuesday. The tourists were reportedly en route from Uttarkashi to Gangotri when communication with them was lost.
According to family members, the group departed for Gangotri around 8:30 AM on Wednesday and has remained untraceable since then. The relatives expressed deep concern after failing to establish contact, with one woman saying, “We spoke to them a day ago, and they said they were leaving Gangotri. Now, we can’t reach them.”
The group had booked their 10-day tour of Uttarakhand through a Haridwar-based travel agency, which has also been unable to provide updates on the tourists’ whereabouts. With no mobile network in the affected region and the possibility of phone batteries running out, hopes for communication remain bleak for now.
Dharali Devastated by Mudslides
The cloudburst struck the ecologically fragile region of Dharali on Tuesday afternoon, triggering violent flash floods and landslides that swept away homes, hotels, and homestays in the popular Gangotri pilgrimage zone. According to officials, nearly half of the village of Dharali is now buried under a thick layer of mud, debris, and water. At least four people have been confirmed dead, and several others remain missing.
Dharali, located on the route to Gangotri — the origin point of the Ganga River — attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists every year. The area’s vulnerability to extreme weather events has made such disasters more frequent in recent times.
Indian Army Personnel Missing; Rescue Ops Underway
Adding to the gravity of the situation, nine Indian Army personnel are also reported missing after torrential floods in the Kheer Ganga river destroyed several areas. The Indian Army, along with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local administration, has deployed around 150 personnel led by Col Harshvardhan, Commanding Officer of the 14 RAJRIF, to lead search and rescue operations in the worst-affected zones.
Government Response
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to assess the situation. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the PM assured that the state government is monitoring relief efforts closely and doing everything possible to assist those affected.
Rescue operations are currently ongoing, with hopes pinned on locating survivors amidst the debris. Families of the missing tourists have urged the authorities to expedite relief measures and deploy more teams in the affected area.
