By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Uttarkashi, 5 Aug: A year has passed since the catastrophic flash flood struck Dharali in Uttarkashi district on 5 August, 2025, leaving behind a trail of destruction and grief that still continues to haunt the affected families. While around 70 people lost their lives in the disaster, many others remain missing even today. The flash flood completely devastated the Dharali market, while the neighbouring Harsil area also suffered extensive damage. Search operations for the missing had continued for several days after the disaster, but many of the missing victims could not be traced.
To mark the first anniversary of the tragedy, the disaster-affected villagers organised a day-long religious ceremony here today to pray for the peace of the departed souls of all the 70 victims, including eight residents of Dharali village who had lost their lives after being swept away by debris from the Khirganga stream. As a tribute to the deceased, the villagers also planted 101 saplings at the disaster site. They resolved to observe 5 August every year by undertaking plantation drives at the site in memory of those who had lost their lives so that future generations can remember the tragedy while also drawing inspiration for environmental conservation.
During the programme, five learned priests recited the Rudrashtak, Pitra Shanti Path and passages from the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita to pray for eternal peace to the departed souls. The memorial gathering turned emotional as the residents recalled the horrifying scenes of destruction witnessed a year ago. The villagers said that, even after twelve months, several families have not been able to perform the last rites of their loved ones as their bodies were never recovered. Although time has moved on, they said the wounds left by the disaster remain as deep as ever.
The tragedy rendered many families homeless, with houses, hotels, shops and livelihoods painstakingly built over decades being buried under debris within moments. Nearly 30 families are still compelled to live in rented accommodation or with relatives. Disaster-affected families acknowledged that they had received government assistance but stressed that the process of permanent rehabilitation must be completed at the earliest so that they can return to a normal life. According to the administration, geological surveys for the rehabilitation of 21 families have been completed, while the rehabilitation process for 66 affected families is in its final stage. Action in the cases of another 25 affected families is also expected to begin shortly.
Gradually, the people of Dharali are trying to rebuild their lives. The apple orchards and the cultivation of cash crops have once again become the principal source of livelihood for many residents here. However, the villagers maintain that restarting the hotels and other major commercial establishments along the banks of the Khirganga remains risky. They believe that, if robust protective works are undertaken along the riverbanks, the agriculture, horticulture and the tourism-related activities can once again flourish safely. The younger generation has also shown remarkable resilience, with many young women taking up trekking and tourism-related self-employment to support their families, while owners of hotels and shops that survived the disaster have resumed business.
The affected residents said they can never forget the pain of losing their loved ones, but are determined to transform that grief into strength by rebuilding and revitalising Dharali. For them, the anniversary has become not merely a day of mourning but also a symbol of resilience, determination and renewed hope.
It may be recalled that the Dharali disaster had occurred on 5 August, 2025, when a massive flash flood originating in the Kheragarh Basin (Khirganga) unleashed enormous quantities of water, mud and boulders, destroying a major portion of Dharali market. The hotels, residential houses, shops and the apple orchards were washed away, while the historic Kalpeshwar Temple was also buried under debris. The flood debris spread over nearly two lakh square metres, leaving one of the worst disaster zones witnessed in Uttarkashi in recent years.
The disaster claimed the lives of at least 70 people, while several others still remain untraced even after a year. At least 18 people were injured, including 13 who sustained serious injuries. A total of 115 residential houses were completely destroyed, forcing hundreds of people to abandon their homes. Besides extensive damage to public infrastructure, the disaster also caused heavy losses to hotels, businesses and horticulture, severely affecting the local economy.
Under the SDRF norms, the families of each deceased victim received financial assistance of Rs 4 lakhs, while an additional amount of Rs 1 lakh per family was sanctioned from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Owners of 115 fully damaged residential houses were provided assistance of Rs 5 lakhs each. Hotel owners affected by the disaster have so far received compensation exceeding Rs 6.84 crores. In addition, the 115 families rendered homeless were also provided rental assistance of Rs 24,000 per family, calculated at Rs 4,000 per month for six months, to help them secure temporary accommodation while rehabilitation measures progressed.
