Heavy rains have made it harder for rescue teams to search for missing people in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, where flash floods and landslides struck a week ago. Officials said that one more body has been found, bringing the confirmed death toll to seven, while 42 people are still missing. The chances of finding survivors are getting smaller as almost a week has passed since the disaster buried large parts of Dharali village and damaged an army camp in Harsil.
Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar confirmed that the latest body found was that of a young man from Dharali named Akash Panwar. Financial help has been given to his family. The missing include nine army personnel, eight residents of Dharali, five people from nearby areas, one from Tehri district, 13 from Bihar, and six from Uttar Pradesh.
Initially, 29 Nepali workers were also reported missing. After mobile networks were restored, five of them were contacted and found safe. Officials believe the rest might also be safe and taking shelter elsewhere. Authorities are trying to gather more details about them from their contractors.
The state government said that so far, 1,278 people, including stranded tourists and locals in need, have been airlifted to safety. All stranded outsiders and needy locals have now been evacuated from the affected areas. Relief material is being distributed, and each affected family is receiving ₹5 lakh as immediate assistance. A larger relief and rehabilitation package is also being prepared.
To restore connectivity, a 30-metre-long Bailey bridge was completed near Gangnani on Sunday night. This bridge is expected to speed up road access to Dharali and Harsil. However, the main highway is still blocked in several places, including Songad, Dabrani, and Harsil.
The weather department has warned of more heavy rainfall in the coming days. Heavy rain is predicted across Uttarakhand on August 13, 14, and 15. A ‘red’ alert for very heavy rainfall has been issued for districts such as Almora, Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, Pauri, and Udham Singh Nagar. Dehradun has already seen waterlogging in many areas due to continuous rain.
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Rescue workers, including the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), are continuing their search despite the bad weather. In Dharali, ITBP personnel are manually digging through debris where a hotel once stood, using radar equipment to detect any signs of people trapped underneath.
Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya visited Harsil to check efforts to lower the water level in a lake that formed on the Bhagirathi river after the floods. Water levels have dropped, but a large uprooted tree is still stuck in the lake and could block the water’s flow. Officials are working to remove it to prevent further flooding.
The disaster has left deep scars on the affected communities. While relief operations are ongoing, the continuous rain has slowed progress and made conditions dangerous for both residents and rescue workers. The state government and central agencies are working together to bring aid, restore connectivity, and search for those still missing.
For now, officials are urging caution as more rain is expected, and the risk of further landslides and flooding remains high.
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