
2025’s Himalayan Deluge: Topography, Climate Change, and the Heavy Rainfall Crisis in Uttarakhand & Himachal Pradesh
On 5 August 2025, the Himalayan village of Dharali in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, woke up to a disaster of historic proportions. A sudden torrent of water, boulders, and mud roared down from the mountains, demolishing homes, hotels, bridges, and shops within minutes. Witnesses described it as if “the mountain itself had melted.” Initial reports confirmed…