DEHRADUN: A devastating cloudburst and incessant rainfall on Wednesday night in the Nandangar area caused immense destruction, burying several villages under a thick blanket of debris. While dozens of people are still reported missing, five bodies have been recovered so far.
Kunwar Singh from Kuntri Laga Phali village was miraculously pulled out alive after being trapped in the rubble for 16 hours, but his wife and two sons remain buried, with hopes for their survival rapidly diminishing.
The adage, "Whom God protects, no one can kill," proved true in Kuntri Laga Phali village, Nandangar, Chamoli. Inspector Pankaj Singh of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) told, "Kunwar Singh, who endured 16 gruelling hours buried under the debris, was rescued alive through the tireless efforts of the NDRF, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local residents. His survival is being hailed as a major miracle, injecting renewed energy into the exhausted rescue teams."
However, Kunwar Singh's two sons and wife are still trapped beneath the wreckage. Rescue teams are relentlessly working to save his family, but continuous rain and the sheer volume of mud and debris are significantly impeding rescue operations. SDRF personnel are attempting to cut through collapsed roofs with specialized machinery to reach those buried inside, but hopes for their survival are progressively fading with each passing hour.
SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi told TNIE, "Despite challenging conditions, our personnel are using hammers and various tools to break through the roofs and reach those trapped inside. Our teams are working day and night, striving to keep hope alive in this desperate situation." Chamoli Police also affirmed their commitment, stating that behind every brick of debris lies the hope of a life, and they "will leave no stone unturned" in their efforts.
Notably on last Wednesday night, extreme rainfall and a cloudburst unleashed severe devastation in Kuntri Laga Phali, Sarpani, and Dhurma villages within Chamoli district's Nandangar Block. The incident occurred while residents were asleep in their homes. The sudden calamity destroyed everything in its path. While many managed to flee and save their lives in the chaos, some had no chance to escape and were buried alive under the debris.
A total of five bodies have been recovered in this disaster so far. On Friday, three bodies (one woman and two men) were retrieved from the rubble, following the discovery of two male bodies last Thursday. The massive rescue operation is still ongoing, with fears that several more people remain buried under the extensive debris.