Army camp flooded in flash floods in Uttarakhand, 9 soldiers missing

Nine soldiers are feared missing after a flash flood hit an army camp in Harshil, Uttarakhand. They went missing in the floods when a cloudburst occurred in the area on Tuesday (August 5). The cloudburst occurred at 1:45 pm on Tuesday near Dharli village area, just 4 km from the Indian army camp in Harshil. A video released from the scene on Tuesday showed a sudden stream of water gushing down from a hill in Dharli area and instantly washing away everything around the houses. Meanwhile, an NDTV report on Wednesday said that 11 personnel are feared missing due to the loss of connectivity and damage to the unit’s base. An official update on the relief operation said that the rescue team is working diligently. The statement also said that additional troops are being deployed for the rescue operation. Dharli is the main stopover on the way to Gangotri and has many hotels, restaurants and homestays. Locals said that a cloudburst occurred in the Kshir Ganga river basin area, resulting in severe flooding. Cloudbursts are considered the most devastating natural disaster in the Indian Himalayas, causing heavy rainfall and lightning in a limited area in a very short period of time. Meanwhile, within 10 minutes of the incident, the army had sent 150 personnel to the disaster area. In a statement, the army said that the situation is being continuously monitored and the Indian Army is fully committed to providing all possible assistance to the affected civilians.