Heavy landslides and flash floods in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district have left 151 tourists from Maharashtra stranded in the remote Dharali area. According to officials, 120 people have been traced and are currently safe at an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) camp, while efforts continue to locate the remaining 31, including 12 from Mumbai’s suburban belt.
The uncontactable tourists belong to different parts of Maharashtra — Thane (5), Solapur (4), Ahilyanagar (1), Nashik (4), Malegaon (3), Charkop-Kandivali (6), Mumbai suburbs (6) and Titwala (2). Search operations are being hindered by continuous rain, poor visibility and disrupted phone networks.
To overcome the communication breakdown, satellite phones have now been activated in the affected region. Rescue teams, in coordination with Uttarakhand’s disaster management department, are also working with the Department of Telecommunications to trace the last known locations of the missing individuals. Authorities are preparing for an airlift if weather conditions allow.
Maharashtra Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan has reached Dehradun to directly oversee the rescue and evacuation efforts. The Maharashtra state disaster control room in Mumbai is in constant touch with Uttarakhand officials, the National Emergency Response Centre, and district authorities in Uttarkashi to ensure swift tracing of those missing and to keep families in Maharashtra updated.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is monitoring developments closely. He has directed state authorities to arrange special flights or trains to bring back the stranded tourists once it is safe to travel.
