‘Even the Himalayas have their limits’: Former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat on cloudburst tragedy | VIDEO

Uttarkashi: Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat has expressed deep concern over the tragic cloudburst in Uttarkashi’s Dharali village, attributing the recurring natural disasters in the Himalayan region to “uncontrolled and unlimited development”.

Reacting to the devastation, Rawat said:

“It’s concerning. Such incidents are happening in several places. This is happening due to uncontrolled and unlimited development. Even the Himalayas have their limits. How much can they hold?”

His remarks came as rescue teams battled extreme conditions on Tuesday following a massive cloudburst that triggered flashfloods, sweeping through the mountain village of Dharali -- a key stopover en route to Gangotri, the origin of the Ganga.

Officials confirmed that at least four people have died, while 60 to 70 others were trapped or affected by the disaster. The flashflood, caused by intense rainfall in the catchment of the Kheer Ganga river, unleashed a torrent of slush, rubble and water, burying nearly half the village under the debris.

The village, known for its cluster of hotels, homestays and restaurants catering to pilgrims and tourists, saw three- and four-storey buildings collapse like a pack of cards as the floodwaters surged downhill.

Emergency services, including disaster response teams and local authorities, have been working tirelessly to search for survivors and contain further damage in the fragile Himalayan terrain.