Flash floods in Uttarkashi

Apart from the loss of human lives, the scale of destruction caused by the recent flash flood in Uttarakhand looks very similar to the Wayanad landslide disaster that happened last year. This tragedy struck almost exactly a year after the disaster in Wayanad. Although Dharali, a village in Uttarakhand, has been completely wiped off the map by the floodwaters, only five deaths have been officially confirmed so far. However, it is still unclear how many lives remain buried under the mud and debris that engulfed the village. Hundreds of people from Dharali and nearby areas are reported missing, while about 150 people have been rescued- the only relief in this grim situation. Meanwhile, a group of Malayali pilgrims who had gone there for pilgrimage have been confirmed safe, though they are stranded in the area. Major roads have been washed away, and other routes are blocked by mud, making rescue operations extremely difficult.

Though Uttarakhand is not a neighbouring state of Kerala, it is well known to Malayalis as the gateway to two of India’s most important pilgrimage centres- Kedarnath and Badrinath. Dharali itself is a major stopover for pilgrims. Hundreds of hotels and lodges were centred in Dharali, but all of them have now been buried under mud and rocks. A nearby army camp was also swept away. Families of Sreekanth, a soldier from Kunnimangalam in Kannur who was stationed there, have been informed by the army that he is safe. It is believed that the death toll was kept low because hundreds of people had been evacuated from the region earlier due to heavy rains. But it will certainly take a long time to recover from the massive physical and livelihood losses.

Rescue work is the first priority, but relentless heavy rain and the complete destruction of the national highway are preventing disaster management teams from reaching Dharali. Just like in Wayanad, efforts are being made to construct a Bailey bridge to get rescuers to the affected area. There are differing opinions on what triggered the sudden flood- some say it was a cloudburst, while others believe it was caused by the sudden bursting of glacial lakes in the northern Himalayan ranges above Dharali. Landslides are also likely when such ice-dammed lakes burst. The Kheer Ganga River originates in this snow-covered region, and together, the rain and melting ice have now turned Uttarkashi, a pilgrimage hub, into a disaster zone.

The first priority is to find out if there are any signs of life under the soil of Dharali, which has been torn apart by the flash flood. We can only hope rescue teams reach there quickly and that the death toll does not rise further. We must also remember how, during the Wayanad disaster, help poured in from all over the country. That compassion and solidarity helped Mundakkai and Puthumala slowly return to life. Similar aid should reach Uttarkashi from across the nation. The Kerala government, which is now leading Wayanad's rebuilding efforts, should extend guidance to the Uttarakhand government as needed. Just as we came together for Wayanad, we should also extend our support to rebuild Uttarkashi- a pilgrimage centre close to Malayali hearts.