Cloudburst Tragedy on Yamunotri Highway

A devastating cloudburst early Sunday morning along the Yamunotri National Highway in Uttarkashi district has resulted in the likely disappearance of nine road construction laborers, according to police reports.

The laborers went missing after intense rainfall triggered a cloudburst near Silai Bend in the Barkot area, en route to Yamunotri temple. Disaster Control Room officials confirmed the incident, as Barkot police station's SHO Deepak Kathait reported receiving information around midnight. A team dispatched to the site discovered the laborers, who had set up tents at the location, might have been swept away by the deluge. All missing individuals are reportedly of Nepali origin as search operations continue.

The aftermath has left the highway blocked in several areas, including Silai Bend, and caused extensive damage to agricultural land in Kuthnaur village. The road near Ojri has suffered complete destruction, filling nearby fields with debris. The Kupda Kunshala Trikhili motor bridge in Syanachatti is currently threatened, compounded by the rising Yamuna water level due to the relentless rain.

(With inputs from agencies.)