A group of 28 tourists from Kerala has gone missing following a devastating cloudburst that triggered massive mudslides in Uttarakhand’s Dharali village on Tuesday. The group, comprising 20 Kerala natives settled in Maharashtra and eight from various districts in Kerala, was traveling from Uttarkashi to Gangotri when communication was lost.

A relative of one couple told media that their son last spoke to them at 8:30 am on Tuesday, before landslides struck the route. “We’ve been unable to contact them since,” she said, noting that the Haridwar-based travel agency organizing the 10-day tour could provide no updates, likely due to disrupted mobile networks and dead phone batteries.

The cloudburst, occurring in the ecologically fragile Kheer Ganga river catchment, caused catastrophic flash floods, burying nearly half of Dharali—a key stopover en route to Gangotri, the origin of the Ganga—under debris, slush, and water. At least four deaths have been confirmed, with over 100 people, including 11 soldiers, still missing.

Rescue operations involving the Indian Army, NDRF, SDRF, and ITBP are underway, but blocked roads and incessant rainfall are hampering efforts. Authorities estimate 20-25 hotels and homestays were destroyed, highlighting the disaster’s severe impact on the region’s tourism infrastructure.

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