Flash floods have hit the mountain village of Dharali in Uttarakhand, bringing back painful memories of the deadly 2013 Kedarnath disaster. That disaster, caused by similar cloudbursts and floods, was one of the worst natural tragedies in India since the 2004 tsunami. Thousands had died, and entire villages were washed away.
This time, a cloudburst on Tuesday caused heavy flooding in Dharali. So far, at least four people have died and more than 50 are missing. The disaster struck suddenly, leaving no time to escape.
Videos from the area show mud and water rushing down the mountains, destroying homes and roads in seconds. The scenes look very similar to what happened in Kedarnath over ten years ago. That flood had brought massive destruction to the famous pilgrimage town and claimed many lives.
Rescue teams are now working hard to find the missing people and help those who are stranded.
In June 2013, after a cloudburst, over 6,000 people died after a cloudburst triggered flash floods in Uttarakhand’s Kedarnath valley. The disaster reshaped pilgrim routes and response systems. The tragedy became India’s worst natural disaster since the 2004 tsunami.