Uttarakhand, the mountainous northern state that hosts Dharali, has been devastated by cloudbursts before. A June 2013 cloudburst killed over 6,000 people in Uttarakhand and surrounding states, becoming the country's worst natural disaster in ten years. In 2021, flash flooding triggered by a cloudburst killed over 200.

Five deaths are confirmed, and 59 people are missing. 274 tourists were rescued. Special forces, medical teams, and equipment are deployed, with focus on restoring communication and clearing debris.