When a cloudburst led to flash floods and mudslides led to mudslides in Uttarkashi, Dharali village was one of the worst-hit areas. Among the many structures that were swept away in the floods was a 40-room hotel run by a man named Jai Bhagwan.
On Tuesday, at around 1.40 pm, all hell broke loose when a massive mudslide hit the town leading to panic and chaos among people. While bhagwan narrowly escaped death when the tragedy struck as he had gone to a nearby temple, his hotel got caught up in the flash flood.
According to a report by The Indian Express, the hotelier described the scene, stating, “First, there was a thunderous sound, followed by screams from the nearby village. People were whistling, but we didn’t understand what was happening. Then massive waves of mud, water, and rocks came crashing through."
Unaware of the magnitude of the disaster, Bhagwan rushed to his home only to find out that the water had reached there as well. Later, he hurriedly went to Harsil village on foot.
His four-storey hotel was completely washed away in the mudslide, a scene he later saw in a video. “In the video, my hotel is seen being swept away like a leaf. It was a 40-room hotel," he said.
Fortunately, due to the low tourist turnout during the monsoon season, the hotels in the area, including Bhagwan’s, were largely empty. “During other months, especially during the Char Dham yatra, my hotel is fully booked. Fortunately, neither my staff nor my nephew, who manages the hotel, were present," he mentioned, IE reported.
Four people were killed in the tragedy. The rescue operations in the flood-hit areas in Uttarkashi entered their third day on Thursday. So far, 190 people, which includes 11 army personnel, have been rescued from the Dharali area, according to officials. Over 50 people are still missing.
According to the NDRF North India Command Head Gambhir Chauhan, dog squads and veterinary doctors are being sent at the disaster site along with satellite phones as communication remains a challenge there. “It was a huge tragedy. SDRF, NDRF, ITBP, Army and local administration are involved in joint rescue efforts,” he told PTI.
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