Uttarakhand CM Promises Aid for Tharali Disaster Victims
CM Vows Relief for Flood-Hit Tharali
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has pledged comprehensive support for families affected by the devastating flash flood in Chamoli district’s Tharali, triggered by heavy rains on August 22. Announcing Rs 5 lakh in financial aid for families of the deceased and owners of damaged homes, Dhami also assured state-funded treatment for the injured during a review at the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) on Saturday night.
The disaster, caused by flooding in the Toonri rain drain, claimed the life of 20-year-old Kavita Bisht, whose body was recovered from a debris-buried house in Sangwada village. An elderly resident, Ganga Dutt Joshi, remains missing in nearby Chepdon, with search operations ongoing. The deluge dumped one to two feet of debris across Tharali’s Tehsil office, Chepdon Bazaar, Kotdeep Bazaar, and surrounding areas, damaging 41 homes—11 completely destroyed—along with shops, vehicles, and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s residence. Approximately 150-200 people have been evacuated to safety.
Six of the nine injured were airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh due to critical conditions, one is under treatment at Karnaprayag’s sub-district hospital, and two were discharged after first aid. Relief efforts, involving the district administration, police, NDRF, SDRF, and Indo-Tibetan Border Police, are operating at full capacity. Dhami, after inspecting the Kulsari relief camp and affected areas, directed officials to expedite aid distribution, ensuring food, milk, medicines, bedding, and sanitation for evacuees.
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The CM praised the district administration’s swift response, which enabled immediate rescue operations, and called for long-term measures to prevent such tragedies. He ordered dredging and channelization of rivers near settlements statewide and urged districts to assess water level changes due to sediment buildup. Highlighting the massive debris flow in Tharali, alongside similar incidents in Dharali and Syanachatti, Dhami proposed a high-level study by experts from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, IIRS, IIT, and NRSC to analyze moraine accumulation in the high Himalayas. He plans to request a Central Government-led study across Himalayan states to bolster disaster preparedness.
The Karnaprayag-Tharali-Dewal road remains blocked at 12-15 points over a 10-km stretch due to debris and washouts, with JCB machines deployed to clear the route. The administration is arranging accommodation and food for displaced residents, as relief camps continue to support evacuees.
