Uttarkashi cloudburst: Authorities to use mobile phone location data to track missing persons

Dehradun: Authorities in Uttarkashi have decided to use mobile phone location data to aid in locating those still missing after the August 5 cloudburst in Dharali. Disaster management officials said they would obtain mobile tower records from that day to determine the last known positions of missing individuals.

The method will help establish whether a missing person’s final location was within Dharali, suggesting they may be trapped under debris, or outside the disaster zone, which would require further inquiry. Officials noted that people from several states, including Nepal, Bihar, and Rajasthan, have reported missing relatives, creating conflicting accounts, TNIE reported.

Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman explained that complaints from such families are being formally recorded, and the mobile numbers provided will be checked for movement patterns and address details. This information will then be verified through the relevant districts.

As of now, 1,308 travellers and local residents have been rescued, while 68 people are officially confirmed missing.