Indian rescuers are searching for dozens of people feared trapped after a massive cloudburst triggered heavy rains and flash floods in northern Uttarakhand state, killing at least four people with more than 50 missing, BBC News and Reuters reported on August 5.

Teams including army and paramilitaries reached Dharali village in Uttarkashi district, which bore the brunt of the floods when the cloudburst occurred at around 1:30pm local time.

Dramatic videos show a giant wave of water gushing through the tourist area, which is populated with hotels, resorts and restaurants, crumpling buildings in its path.

The surge swelled the Kheerganga river, sending tonnes of muddy water gushing down the hilly terrain and covering roads, buildings and shops in Dharali.

Eyewitnesses from a nearby village who filmed the disaster could be heard shrieking and shouting "run, run", but said the sudden surge did not give people a chance to escape.

The ancient Kalpkedar temple is covered under slush and believed damaged, whilst sludge has blocked part of the main Bhagirathi river, creating an artificial lake and submerging vast tracts of land, including a government helipad.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences to those affected, writing on X: "Relief and rescue teams are engaged in every possible effort. No stone is being left unturned in providing assistance to the people."

Uttarkashi district administrator Prashant Arya said four people were killed and many more had been rescued so far, with rescue operations expected to be slow due to continuing heavy rains.

Uttarakhand is prone to floods and landslides, which experts blame on climate change. At least 200 people were killed in 2021 when flash floods swept away two hydroelectric projects in the state.