HUBBALLI: The avalanche that hit an Army camp in Sonamarg in central Kashmir revealed a miracle story.
An army officer from Belagavi struggled his way out of the rubble to breathe new life on Wednesday. However, the avalanche killed another officer from New Delhi who was sleeping in the next bunker.
Major Shrihari Kugaji, attached to 115 Mahar Battallion of Territorial Army unit in Belgavi, was posted in Sonamarg of Ganderbal district a few months ago. On Wednesday, he was among eight members of the Army camp who got buried under the debris of small residential quarters and tonnes of ice after an avalanche struck.
Speaking to Express, Major Shrihari narrated the ordeal he went through before making his way through the rubble.
“It was about 5.45 am and I heard a loud noise and heavy winds followed by the ceiling falling on me. In no time, I was under the debris and ice started seeping in wherever there was a gap making it impossible even to breathe. As I was sleeping sideways, I could move a bit and kept some space open under the bed to ensure supply of oxygen. With ice mounting on the debris and my hands going numb, it became too difficult to lift anything over me. I kept shouting for help and was wondering what could have been the situation at the camp,” he recalled.
“There were times during the struggle when I thought there is no way out. But I decided to fight it out. While praying for some help, I also remembered brave soldier Hanumanthappa Koppad who lived for five days under the snow in Siachen last year. This is no way to die for a fighter like me. I once again started removing the rubble piece by piece even as the ice kept falling inside. I pushed the ice under the bed and I even ate some to ensure some gap can be created to get oxygen in. Finally, after two hours of struggle, I could reach my hand out of the debris and snow. By then it was morning and I could hear rescue team members shouting for the survivors. They heard my voice and pulled me to safety,” he said.
The relief of Major Shrihari, however, was short-lived. He lost his fellow unit member -- Major Amit Sagar from New Delhi-- who had recently joined the high altitude Army camp. The camp is located at a height of 10,000 feet in the Himalayas and was witnessing snowfall for the last one week.
Though out of danger, Major Shrihari suffered minor injuries in the head, shoulder and hip region. Army doctors are attending to him and other survivors. About seven Army personnel were buried under the snow and six of them have been removed to safety.
“For the last few months, we underwent rigorous training in mountaineering and life-saving skills in high altitude. This immensely helped me during the self-rescue. Creating an oxygen chamber was a good idea and it gave me hope for survival despite many of my body parts going numb,” he added.