August 2025 UDAAI report calls Dharali flash flood a man-made tragedy; urges urgent shift to ecologically sensitive planning ahead of state’s 25th anniversary
Dehradun, October 7 – The August 2025 edition of the Uttarakhand Disaster & Accident Analysis Initiative (UDAAI) report by Dehradun-based SDC Foundation has raised an alarm over the state’s worsening disaster vulnerability. The report highlights that the August 5 Dharali disaster in Uttarkashi, where a sudden flash flood in the Khir Ganga River wiped out the village within seconds, is one of the most catastrophic events in recent years.
At least 43 people were reported missing as floodwaters destroyed homes, shops, army camps, and a helipad. The tragedy, the report warns, is a grim reminder of unchecked development in the fragile Himalayas. Experts cited in the report link the disaster to large-scale deforestation and debris dumping in the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone.
SDC Foundation founder Anoop Nautiyal called the Dharali flood “a man-made tragedy,” urging immediate adoption of climate-resilient planning, glacial monitoring, and stricter construction controls. The foundation will soon launch a special three-month feature spotlighting Uttarakhand’s escalating disaster and climate risks ahead of its 25th statehood anniversary.
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