9 feared dead in pre-dawn flash flood at Uttarkashi resort construction site

UTTARKASHI/DEHRADUN: Bodies of two labourers have been found while seven remain missing after a cloudburst triggered a flash flood that swept through a resort construction site at Silai Bend on the Barkot–Yamunotri highway in Uttarkashi around 2am on Sunday. Twenty labourers managed to escape to safety. The rescue operation was suspended for the night due to poor visibility and risky terrain.

The flash flood, caused by intense rainfall, flattened a tin-and-plywood shelter housing 29 workers engaged in hotel and road construction. The Yamunotri highway was damaged at three spots, including a 10–30 metre stretch washed out near the camp. Several belongings of the workers were also swept away.

The recovered bodies were identified as Duje Lal, 55, from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh, and Kewal Bisht, 43, from Bardia in Nepal. The two bodies were located nearly 18km downstream along the Yamuna riverbanks. Those still missing are Roshan Chaudhary, 37, also from Bardia; Anvir Dhami, 40, and Kalluram Choudhary, 60, both from Bajura, Nepal; and Jaichand, 38, Chhotu, 22, Priyansh, 20, and Kateel Dhami, 32, all from Kalidas Road in Dehradun.

“We have found two bodies, but there is no trace of the others. They were all swept into the river,” a rescue team member said. Uttarkashi district magistrate Prashant Arya told TOI, “This area was not classified as landslide-prone. Teams from NDRF, SDRF, ITBP, local police and administration are working jointly to trace the missing and clear damaged road sections.”CM Pushkar Singh Dhami reviewed the situation from the state disaster control room.

The Char Dham yatra was suspended for 24 hours following the incident. Authorities said landslides and flash floods blocked over 70 roads across the state. Meanwhile, IMD, Dehradun, issued a Red Alert for Uttarakhand and Nainital, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall at multiple locations on Monday.