Twenty-one-year-old J Veerabhadraiah, having been stranded on the hills near Kedarnath for the last three days, died on Wednesday. This is the first reported death of a pilgrim from the state in Uttarkashi, devastated by floods.
Veerabhadraiah, a native of Chinnahoturu in Vajrakarur mandal of Anantapur district, was in a group of 10 pilgrims. According to family members, “They were not having proper food or water.”
Veerabhadraiah, his father Eshwaraiah and others went on pilgrimage from Uravakonda on June 9.
About 30 people set out from Nalgonda on a pilgrimage to Char Dham in Uttarakhand on June 3 and the last anyone heard from them was on June 15, when flash floods wreaked havoc, leaving thousands stranded.
The last time 40-year-old Veeraiah spoke to his septuagenarian parents, who were on the pilgrimage, was when the group had reached Gaurikund, on the way to Kedarnath. “When I spoke to them last, they were at Gaurikund. Since then, all their phones are unavailable.
I am extremely worried about my parents who are diabetic. All of them are senior citizens,” said the cable operator from Kodad village in Nalgonda district.
120 stranded:
Fifty-year-old Venkatreddy Naidu, a farmer from Brahmanagudem village in West Godavari district, is among those stranded on the hills along with 120 other pilgrims. He said, “We are staying with local farmers here in small shelters. They are providing food and water, but do not know how long will it last. Most of the pilgrims in the group are elderly women and they are facing lots of problems.”
“We have no information on what is happening around and do not know when will we get out of this place safely,” he added.
Holed up in hotel:
Badly hit is another group of 16, led by retired government employee Devender Reddy, from Bowenpally in the city. The group includes six from Nellore and two from Kadapa. Though they are all safely housed in a hotel near Yamunotri, almost all of them are suffering from sickness and diarrhea.
“There is no electricity and most of the cell phones have run out of charge. We have enough food and water as of now, but most of us are suffering from fever, vomitings and motions,” said 66-year-old Reddy. However, as lucky as they can be, they have a doctor in their group, and he is doing whatever little he could do.
“When we enquired with the local police, they were not able to say anything. We are just spending days eating, sleeping and worrying about returning to Andhra,” he added.
'No-Help' line:
“I am very much worried about my family members as there is no communication,” said Anegendla Sulochana of Thatakuladinne village in Kodavaluru mandal in Nellore district. “We even contacted the helpline set up at the collector’s office, but they are also helpless and failed to provide proper information,” she said.