At least four people have been confirmed dead, according to local authorities in the state of Uttarakhand. The death toll is feared to rise as rescue efforts are underway.
–It is a serious situation ... we have received information about four dead and around 100 missing. We are praying for their safety, says Sanjay Seth, spokesperson for defense issues, to the Indian news agency PTI.
Indian media shows how people are fleeing in panic as the river sweeps away houses with several floors. Other buildings are covered up to the eaves with mud, which is said to be 15 meters deep at its deepest point.
Among the buildings destroyed are about 20 hotels and small guesthouses – the place is located on a pilgrimage route but also near a popular tourist area and an army base, reports Times of India.
The village has around 500 permanent residents.
The army has sent 150 soldiers who have rescued 130 survivors from the river, described as "frozen, slow-moving sludge". Several of the missing are said to be soldiers.
"A massive landslide has hit Dharali ... which triggered a sudden flood of debris and water through the community", says the army in a statement.
A red alert for the area has been issued by the meteorological institute. Floods and landslides are common during the monsoon rains but are increasing in intensity and frequency due to climate change, according to experts.
