In the wake of the devastating cloudburst that hit Dharali village in Uttarkashi, the Uttarakhand Health Department, under the direction of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, has launched an immediate and comprehensive emergency medical response to assist affected residents.
Medical teams were rapidly deployed to the disaster zone, providing urgent care and coordinating relief operations. Health Secretary Dr. R Rajesh Kumar is leading the health response, personally overseeing hospital readiness and ensuring that all necessary facilities are fully equipped to handle the surge in patients.
“No patient shall face a shortage of medical care,” Dr. Kumar stated during his inspection of emergency and ICU services in major hospitals in Dehradun.
He emphasized that mental health support is being prioritized alongside physical care. Teams of psychiatrists have been dispatched to the disaster-hit region to provide trauma counseling to survivors and families grappling with loss and shock.
Hospitals across the state including AIIMS Rishikesh have been directed to reserve beds, ensure availability of critical care units, and remain on 24/7 emergency standby. Ambulance services have also been intensified to guarantee rapid evacuation and treatment of injured or distressed individuals.
The state government’s health machinery is working closely with rescue forces like NDRF and ITBP to coordinate care, especially as several roads remain blocked and many residents are missing or displaced.
The cloudburst, which struck around 1:45 pm on August 5, triggered massive flash floods, cutting off access to Gangotri Dham and devastating villages close to Mukhba, the winter seat of Goddess Ganga.
This swift mobilization by the health department reflects the urgent need for integrated disaster response, as extreme weather events become increasingly frequent in Himalayan regions due to climate change.