Flash floods and cloudbursts wreak havoc in Uttarkashi, leaving five dead and several missing, especially in Dharali village.
The Uttarkashi-Harsil road is washed away, with over 130 people rescued as heavy rains continue in the region.
Experts highlight riverbed constructions as a contributing factor that amplified the disaster's impact on the Bhagirathi Ecosensitive Zone.
Uttarkashi Death Toll Climbs to 5 Amid Flash Floods, Experts Blame Riverbed Construction for Amplifying Disaster
Uttarkashi flash floods kill 5, leave 60 missing, as experts blame riverbed construction for amplifying the disaster
Destruction caused by flash floods in Uttarkashi Image by Associated Press
Summary
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A massive landslide struck Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand on the morning of August 6. According to CNBCTV18, all rivers are flowing above danger mark in the state.
Flash floods wreaked havoc in Uttarkashi after a cloudburst on August 5. The high-altitude villages of Dharali were severly impacted by the floods. CNBCTV18 further reported that another body has been recovered under the debris in Dharali, taking the death toll to five. At least 130 people have reportedly been rescued by the authorities amid heavy rain in the region.
Rescue teams in action amid Uttarkashi floods and landslides Image by Associated Press
About over 60 people have gone missing in Dharali village as many had assembled there for the Har Dudh fair. Two cloudbursts, one I n Dharali and another in Sukhi Top area led to a major destruction.
The Uttarkashi-Harsil road in Bhatwadi has been completely washed out as a result of the calamity, reported ANI.
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Factors at Play
According to Experts, the series of cloudbursts that hit three locations near Harsil, a village between Uttarkashi and Gangotri in Uttarakhand, occurred due to the monsoon trough being more north than it usually is at this time of the year and was agitated by a cyclonic system over Bihar, reported HT.
Citing a note released by the Central Water Commission on the evening of August 5, HT reported that a series of extreme weather events in the form of suspected cloudbursts occurred in quick succession on August 5 in the Uttarkashi district.
The first incident took place in Dharali, near Harshil, around 1:00 pm. The second incident occurred between Harshil and Gangnani (near Sukki Top), around 3:00 pm. And the third incident occurred near Army Camp, Harshil, around 3:30 pm.
While videos of the horrifying devastation are surfacing online showing multiple buildings, habitations, market areas being washed away in the Bhagirathi Ecosensitive Zone, this once again raises concerns regarding the impact of climate change in the upper reaches of the Western Himalayas. However, the experts told HT that impact has been particularly pronounced in this case because of the number of constructions on the riverbed of Khir Ganga, a tributary of Bhagirathi.
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