‘Papa, We Won’t Survive’: Nepali Couple Recounts Conversation With Son Before Uttarkashi Flash Floods
Vijay Singh was among a group of 26 labourers from Nepal engaged in road and bridge construction work in the valley.
Uttarkashi has been ravaged after a sudden flash flood hit the Himalayan village of Dharali on August 5, causing widespread destruction to lives and property. As rescue operations are ongoing, migrant workers Kali Devi and her husband, Vijay Singh, from Nepal, shared their terrifying ordeal, describing how they narrowly escaped the calamity that took the lives of many around them.
Singh recalled a tense and emotional two-minute phone call with his son, who sounded terrified and helpless before going missing after a cloudburst caused severe flash floods and landslides in the valley.
“He told me, ‘Papa, we won’t survive; there’s too much water in the drain,’” Singh told NDTV.
Singh was part of a group of 26 Nepali workers employed in road and bridge construction projects in the valley.
“When we left the valley, we never imagined that such a disaster would strike the region. Had I known about the upcoming floods, I would not have left my children behind,” said Devi, who, along with her husband, trekked up to Gangawadi—the route towards Harsil Valley—but had to return after finding that a key Border Roads Organisation (BRO) bridge over the Bhagirathi River had been washed away in the floods.
“I request the government to take us to Harsil Valley. We will search for our children ourselves,” she added.
As rescue and relief efforts continue in Uttarkashi, authorities have managed to rescue at least 70 civilians so far, while three deaths have been confirmed.
According to the Indian Army, one Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and eight soldiers are still missing. As part of the ongoing operations, nine Army jawans and three civilians have been airlifted to Dehradun for further medical care.
Additionally, three civilians in critical condition were taken by ambulance to AIIMS Rishikesh, while eight others are receiving treatment at the District Hospital in Uttarkashi. The Army also confirmed the recovery of two bodies from the affected region.
