A cloudburst near Silaiband, between Paligaad and Ojri Dabarkot on the Yamunotri Highway, led to massive destruction around midnight on Saturday. The incident has left at least nine laborers missing, while two bodies have been recovered from the banks of the Yamuna River, 18 kilometers downstream near the Tiladi Shaheed Memorial.
The sudden deluge washed away a temporary tent settlement housing workers engaged in road and hotel construction. Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya confirmed that search and rescue operations have been launched by the district administration, SDRF, and local police.
“Out of 19 laborers present, 10 have been safely rescued and sent home. The remaining nine, including five of Nepali origin, three from Dehradun, and one from Uttar Pradesh, are unaccounted for,” said Paligaad Outpost In-Charge Kantiram Joshi.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in a post on social media, expressed grief over the incident and stated that he is in constant touch with officials to ensure swift rescue and relief efforts. Teams from SDRF, NDRF, local police, and the army are working on the ground, although heavy debris and damaged routes have slowed operations.
Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman reported that around 60 personnel are engaged in rescue operations, with many still en route due to access limitations. “Rescue machinery has not yet reached the site, and manual operations are underway to locate those possibly trapped under debris or swept into the river,” he added.
The cloudburst has also caused severe disruptions along the Yamunotri Highway, which remains blocked in several locations. At Ojri, sections of the road have been washed away, and landslide debris has inundated nearby fields. A buildup of debris at the Kupra Kunshala bridge near Syana Chatti has obstructed the Yamuna’s flow, resulting in a temporary lake formation and triggering panic among riverside residents.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in seven districts, including Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Champawat, Haridwar, Nainital, and Udham Singh Nagar from June 29 to July 1. Authorities have advised residents and travelers to avoid riverbanks and mountainous areas during this period, warning of potential flash floods, landslides, and rising water levels in rivers and streams.
Rescue operations are ongoing, and authorities remain on high alert as the search continues for the seven missing workers.
