'Run, run!': Man crawls out of Uttarkashi flood debris in miracle escape | Watch

A man had a narrow escape from death when a sudden and powerful flash flood struck Dharali village in Uttarkashi district on Tuesday. The flood swept through the area and destroying homes, shops, and roads in a matter of seconds. Shocking visuals recorded by a local resident from higher ground show the man crawling out from a pile of debris, his entire body covered in mud.

चमत्कार कहें या हिम्मत की मिसाल...

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उत्तरकाशी के धराली गांव में तबाही के मलबे और सैलाब के बीच से एक युवक का जिंदा लौट आना... मानो ज़िंदगी ने मौत को हरा दिया हो।

ये कोई फिल्म नहीं, हकीकत है। धरती कांपी, पहाड़ टूटे, लेकिन हौसला बच निकला।#Uttarkashi #Cloudburst #Dharaali #Survivor pic.twitter.com/CySeRAr37m

— Rishabh Shukla (@UPRishabhShukla) August 5, 2025

The man’s identity and current medical condition remained unknown. However, the footage of his escape has gone viral across social media, with many hailing him as a symbol of resilience amid the tragedy.

In the video, as torrents of water, mud, and boulders cascade down from the hills over the Kheer Gad stream, the flood's strong current flattened everything in its path. Amid the chaos, shouts of “Bhag, bhag!” (Run, run!) are heard, urging the man to flee as he struggles to navigate the wreckage.

Despite his injuries, he is seen pulling himself forward, clutching a tree branch for support while dragging his bruised body across the broken landscape. From higher ground, the locals are heard pleading for someone to help him. Whether he was eventually rescued by emergency teams or taken to a hospital remains unverified by officials, according to the TOI report.

The flood, believed to have been triggered not by a cloudburst as initially feared, but possibly by a glacier collapse or glacial lake outburst, has wreaked havoc on the region. The disaster has claimed at least four lives, with over 70 individuals still missing, among them more than 60 civilians and 9 Army personnel. Pilgrimage routes in the area have also been severely impacted.