At least four people have died and around 50 people are missing after torrential rains and mudslides engulfed a whole Himalayan village on Tuesday, burying houses, prompting an urgent rescue mission in Dharali in Uttarakhand, according to officials.
Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said operations are being carried out “on a war footing” and that authorities are working with “full vigilance and promptness” to ensure aid reaches the affected.
The Indian Army confirmed that nine soldiers are among the missing. It has deployed additional personnel, tracker dogs, drones, and heavy machinery to accelerate search efforts. Helicopters from the Army and Air Force are also being used to deliver supplies and evacuate stranded villagers.
"The number of missing persons is unknown, however the relief efforts have continued through the night. We are trying to rescue people and take them to safety," Harshavardhan, an army colonel leading rescue efforts, said in an X post shared by the Indian army.
Roads leading to the affected areas have either caved in or blocked by boulders, making access difficult, Prashant Arya, a local official in Uttarkashi, told Reuters.
Around 130 people were rescued by Tuesday night, the chief minister of Uttarakhand state, Pushkar Singh Dhami, told news agency ANI, adding that army helicopters were on standby to provide supplies to those stranded in the affected areas.
Residents were relocated to safer areas. Television images show entire roads and buildings swept away.
Mobile and electricity towers were also washed away in the flood waters, making connectivity difficult, leading authorities to give rescue workers satellite phones.
Minister of State for Defense Sanjay Seth described the situation as serious and reiterated that search and rescue operations remain the government’s top priority.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured the nation that “no stone is being left unturned” in providing relief to those affected.
The village is a popular tourist spot which serves as a pit-stop before climbing to the Hindu pilgrimage town of Gangotri, in Uttarkashi district.
A significant development in the complex Azerbaijan - Armenia scenario is the growing confrontation between Armenia’s political leadership and the A...
A significant number of members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), affiliated with the PKK/YPG, have reportedly defected in Aleppo as Syrian secur...
Tens of thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets in Tehran and across at least 28 cities in a wave of anti-government demonstrations, now enter...
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Iran could face a strong response from the United States if its authorities kill protesters amid ongoing u...
Iran is now facing a near‑total internet blackout as anti-government protests sweep the country. Major cities including Tehran have seen connectivit...
A significant number of members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), affiliated with the PKK/YPG, have reportedly defected in Aleppo as Syrian security forces prepare to deploy in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighbourhoods, Aleppo Governor Azzam Gharib said on Thursday.
Tens of thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets in Tehran and across at least 28 cities in a wave of anti-government demonstrations, now entering their twelfth day.
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Iran could face a strong response from the United States if its authorities kill protesters amid ongoing unrest.
Iran is now facing a near‑total internet blackout as anti-government protests sweep the country. Major cities including Tehran have seen connectivity drop sharply, leaving millions of residents isolated from online communication.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources reported a significant movement of U.S. military aircraft towards the Middle East in recent hours. Dozens of U.S. Air Force aerial refuelling tankers and heavy transport aircraft were observed heading eastwards, presumably to staging points in the region.
Snow and ice stalled travellers in northwest Europe on Wednesday, forcing around a thousand to spend the night in Amsterdam's Schiphol airport but delighting others who set out to explore a snow-blanketed Paris on sledges and skis.
Diplomatic tensions between Tokyo and Beijing escalated as Japan slams China's export ban on dual-use goods. Markets have wobbled as fears grow over a potential rare earth embargo affecting global supply chains.
Two people have been killed after a private helicopter crashed at a recreation centre in Russia’s Perm region, Russian authorities and local media have said.
Iran’s chief justice has warned protesters there will be “no leniency for those who help the enemy against the Islamic Republic”, as rights groups reported a rising death toll during what observers describe as the country’s biggest wave of unrest in three years.
Türkiye’s UN envoy called on the international community on Thursday to maintain strong support for the elimination of Syria’s remaining chemical weapons, stressing that the task is both a legal obligation and a critical priority for regional security and humanitarian protection.
Georgia has said it will clarify the circumstances surrounding the U.S. seizure of a Russian‑flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic and is seeking information on its Georgian crew members.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has said it may deploy additional federal agents to Minnesota following the fatal shooting of a woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed regret on Thursday over the decision by the Trump administration to withdraw from 31 entities linked to the United Nations.
A significant number of members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), affiliated with the PKK/YPG, have reportedly defected in Aleppo as Syrian security forces prepare to deploy in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighbourhoods, Aleppo Governor Azzam Gharib said on Thursday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment