This year's pattern shows a striking contrast indicating that seasonal rainfall in the 'normal' category may not always signal safety

By Mongabay.com On Aug. 5, a flash flood devastated much of the Himalayan village of Dharali in India’s Uttarakhand state. As of Aug. 17, six people were confirmed dead, while 60-70 people remained missing.

Flash floods and landslides caused widespread havoc across several regions of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand on Sunday, as heavy rainfall relentlessly lashed the states.

The flood buried half of Dharali village, built on a dried river course, and washed away an Army camp in Harshil. Six people have been declared dead and 69 remain missing. The report recommended further puncturing of the lakes formed after the landslides to safely release water and reduce the risk downstream.

The flash floods, triggered by a cloudburst, swept through the village of Dharali, a popular tourist destination dotted with hotels and restaurants.

At least four people died and more than 50 people were missing after a flash flood washed away a village in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand on Tuesday.

The IMD has urged people to remain vigilant over the next 24 hours, as extremely heavy rainfall from cloudbursts may trigger floods and landslides

A cloudburst in Uttarakhand's Dharali has triggered devastating flash floods, leading to at least four confirmed deaths and over 50 missing persons, sweeping away homes, roads and hotels