- 5 months ago
A catastrophic cloudburst in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district has triggered flash floods and landslides, devastating Dharali village and its surroundings.
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00:00A Himalayan Tragedy
00:03A cloudburst parks catastrophe
00:07Dharali village washed away
00:11Cloudburst swallows lives
00:18Uttarakhand drowns again
00:25Flash flood horror as houses washed away
00:29Over 50 reported missing
00:36Dozens feared trapped
00:40Four bodies recovered
00:44Second cloudburst strikes near Harsina
00:50Rescue, release at war footing
00:55Prayers for Dave Bhoomi
00:57The deadly devastation in Uttarakashi's Dharali village is our top story for the next one-up.
01:06We're going to continue to get you the very latest viewers.
01:09This was a tragedy, a cloudburst that took place about 2.45pm.
01:13Till now, very sketchy information that is filtering in when we're going to try and get the best information that we can right now on a tragedy that sadly is still unfolding in terms of the aftermath of it.
01:27It still continues to rain.
01:29Many roads are blocked.
01:30Our reporters en route to Uttarakashi's Dharali.
01:33First up, allow me to take you through the headlines.
01:36Devastation in Uttarakashi's Dharali village.
01:43Four deaths confirmed.
01:44Several feared trapped under debris.
01:47Many missing.
01:48Prime Minister takes talk of situation.
01:51NDRF, SDRF, Indian Army teams on the spot for rescue operations.
01:55A second cloudburst now reported at Sukhi Top in Uttarakhand, which is situated just kilometres away from Dharali.
02:07No casualties reported yet, but a nearby army camp damaged.
02:17Enforcement directorate drills businessman Anil Ambani in loan fraud case.
02:21According to sources, Anil Ambani likely to be called again.
02:24Soon after he asked seven to ten days more to collect all the facts.
02:33Priyanka Gandhi slammed Supreme Court's true Indian rebuke to Rahul Gandhi.
02:37Says Supreme Court cannot decide who is a true Indian.
02:44Who is a true Indian?
02:45Who is a true Indian?
02:46Who is a true Indian?
02:47Who is a true Indian?
02:48Who is a true Indian?
02:49Who is a true Indian?
02:50Who is a true Indian?
02:51I think I think that Nyaipalika is saying that this is not in their eyes.
02:55That's a decision.
02:56That's a decision.
02:57That's a decision.
02:58This will not be justice.
03:40he was suffering from kidney-related ailments.
03:44Satyapal Malik was governor of Jammu and Kashmir when Article 370 was purged.
04:06Alright viewers, let's continue to get you the latest that is coming in from Uttarakhanda.
04:10Dharali village which is battling the aftermath of a killer flash flood triggered by a cloudburst.
04:16Not one, there have been at least two cloudbursts that have been reported,
04:19but the deadliest of the cloudbursts was the first one which practically has consumed Dharali village.
04:26Scary images, and these images would send a shudder down your spine,
04:31show mammoth columns of water, mud and silt and gravel swallowing an entire village after the cloudburst.
04:36You can see that on your television screen.
04:38Those visuals of people running away, trying to get away from this oncoming onslaught, will leave you stunned.
04:48A mountain of water was seen crashing into this village and demolishing everything in its wake.
04:54Multiple buildings which tumbled like packs of cards.
04:57What we don't know till now, viewers, that four have been confirmed dead,
05:04over 50 are missing and many are feared trapped in the debris of the flash floods.
05:11This is unfortunately only initial numbers that we are getting in.
05:15It's very, very difficult to reach the site right now.
05:17Most roads leading to Dharali have been cut off by landslides.
05:21Having said that, the SDRF, the NDRF, the army columns have moved in
05:25and are on a war footing where rescue operations are concerned.
05:32The first 24 hours are going to be crucial for any rescue efforts before relief kicks in.
05:38And the picture that is seemingly painted right now is grim.
05:43The cloudburst was reported in Dharali, near Harsil.
05:47It's a tourist destination in Uttarkashi.
05:49A lot of tourists go there, practically seen as a base camp
05:53from where they start climbing to the Gangotri Glacier, which is also a religious site.
05:58The entire village of Dharali is now under huge piles of sludge stone
06:04with little sign of life and that is what is acutely worrying.
06:09The Prime Minister, the Home Minister have all spoken.
06:14Everyone's looking at the developments in Uttarakashi Dharali.
06:18The Home Minister has spoken to the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Dhami
06:23and the army has rushed rescue teams to help NDRF and SDRF personnel.
06:29There is a brigade headquarter in Harsil as well, viewers.
06:32The army camp around that area is also damaged.
06:35One of the key reasons why relief and rescue cannot be expedited
06:41is because the weather is very, very bad right now.
06:44Even choppers cannot land in the area.
06:47It's been raining constantly.
06:49We're going to cut across to our reporters before we go to our guests.
06:53But the picture right now that is coming out is grim of what we can confirm.
07:01We don't want to sound alarmist, but the initial figures that are filtering in
07:06of four deaths, 50 missing, many considered, you know, stuck under the debris.
07:12Unfortunately, that figure is all set to rise.
07:16Very, very sketchy information right now coming out as we speak.
07:21A visual that was recorded that you can see on your television screen
07:24will break your heart.
07:27These are images of people trying to get away from the sludge, from the mud
07:32that came gushing in and taking everything in its wake.
07:40Dharali rivulet clearly now being breached.
07:44And you can see how this small village completely gets consumed.
07:49You can see clearly there was, nobody really understood that, you know,
07:56there was a cloudburst, there was no evacuation.
07:59And at last minute when people started seeing this sludge coming in,
08:03they tried to run away from the area.
08:07And those unfortunate visuals that some of us will never forget
08:11of people trying to escape, trying to escape the wrath
08:16of a river, not just in spate, flash floods, a landslide,
08:22all of that doubled with a cloudburst.
08:27And everything gone in seconds there.
08:31Even, sadly, the people who were trying to get away from it.
08:35I want to cut across to our reporters.
08:37Ankit Sharma is joining us with the very latest.
08:39Ankit reports from Dehradun.
08:41Ankit, what are you hearing right now?
08:44What we fear is relief, rescue is slow right now,
08:49primarily because the weather is still bad.
08:51Many landslides, a lot of roads cut off.
08:55And because of the weather being bad, you can't even operate choppers.
08:59So even air rescue and relief is difficult.
09:02Give us the latest.
09:04Yes, absolutely.
09:05Especially after the heavy deludes which struck after the cloudburst hit the mountains of Dharali village.
09:14And there were actually two sites where the impact took place.
09:18One is from the Dharali side where the massive devastation has happened.
09:23And after that, at Herschel Army Camp base.
09:27And there are some men missing over there.
09:30However, the reports are not confirmed.
09:32Our senior colleague is looking at this report and development as of now.
09:38And this calamity struck Dharali.
09:42Ankit, I want to just come in.
09:44You know, I apologize and you can continue.
09:46But what you're confirming is in that nearby, because there is a brigade station there,
09:50the nearby army camp word coming in that there are some men from there as well missing.
09:55Is that what you're saying?
09:56Yes, absolutely.
09:58As our senior colleague has also reported that a few of army personnel of Rai Sun Rifle,
10:05they are missing from the site.
10:07However, the army has also initiated the rescue camp, rescue operation from that site as well.
10:14And the other side, the Dharali area, where the massive landslide and the cloudburst took place.
10:21And it has the whole muck cluttered over there.
10:25And there are many feared buried under that.
10:27How many landslides have taken place?
10:31All right, I'm going to come back to you.
10:33Just stay on with me.
10:34Latest news break coming in right now.
10:36At the time of the accident, and it's tragic right now because there are many feared missing.
10:41What we can confirm, more than 200 people, including local tourists, were present in Dharali.
10:47The army camp also came under its grip, which is in the second cloudburst that took place.
10:53There is an army mess and a cafe here.
10:55Many soldiers suspected to have missed the accident.
10:59The helipad built on the banks of the river in Harsil has been washed away.
11:03Due to heavy rains, relief and rescue work is not being carried out through the aerial route, which is the helicopter.
11:12Helipad completely washed away.
11:14The weather is really bad.
11:16So, none of the helicopters are actually flying right now.
11:20So, the only rescue that can reach Dharali is on foot.
11:24Not primarily coming in from the local NDRF and SDRF teams that have been stationed there.
11:31And importantly, from men who were at the brigade headquarters, because there is a brigade that is headquartered in Dharali.
11:38I want to, Ankit, stay with me.
11:40I want to cut across to Ashutosh Mishra, who's en route to Dharali village.
11:43Ashutosh, would you get us quickly up to speed on all the information that you're getting in right now,
11:48in terms of fatality, casualties, where are we, where relief is concerned?
11:56The biggest adversary, Preeti, at the moment is the weather.
11:59Because now, as I read, the red alert issued for the several districts of Uttarakhand, including Uttarkashi,
12:05for next three hours, there are going to be massive and massive rains.
12:08Now, already we see the debris that have come down along with the massive landslide and the cloudburst.
12:14Clearly, the weather is going to be hostile for all the rescue agencies.
12:18Subsequent to that, the air force has been put on standby.
12:21The Chinook, the ALH, the Cheetah choppers that will be carrying out sorties to that particular location.
12:27Now, reportedly, an army camp also has been affected.
12:30We are yet awaiting the details about that, how many persons have gone missing.
12:34The number could be way high, looking at that landscape has totally changed the terrain,
12:39because of the debris and this cloudburst area.
12:42Subsequent to, it looks like, not only one sector or one particular deviation has taken place,
12:48but rather the river has divided.
12:51So, this is also, it looks like, impacting even the Khistu top area.
12:54And that's exactly in several villages.
12:56We are also seeing the river, instead of flowing, is also accumulating the water.
13:00And that's why we see the rise in the water level.
13:02So, this is going to be really an uphill task.
13:04We have multiple agencies are still being moved.
13:06And not only the immediate personals from the ITBP and army have been placed for the rescue,
13:12search and relief operations.
13:13Largely more than relief, it is going to be rescue and search operations.
13:17More and more personals are being dispatched to Harshal and this place, Dharali, for the evac.
13:22But as we are en route, we are also getting multiple information about the possibilities of landslide
13:27to those sectors from the radius of 18 to 20 kilometers.
13:31In those cases, unless you clear the landslides, unless the evacuation is done,
13:35that will make an offer extremely difficult, Preeti.
13:39Ashutosh, what are you picking up?
13:41Because right now, aerial route is inoperable,
13:44which is basically the helipad has been washed away where Harshal is concerned.
13:48The weather is terrible.
13:49There is no possibility, at least till tomorrow afternoon,
13:53is what we've been given to understand,
13:54for the aerial route to be operational, number one.
13:58Number two, like you pointed out, many, many landslides.
14:01So how is it that NDRF, SDRF teams are getting there?
14:04So primarily, what we do know right now, Ashutosh,
14:07that rescue is only being carried out by the local NDRF and SDRF teams station.
14:13There is a brigade headquarter there and possibly the army stepping in from there.
14:17That is all we are looking at right now.
14:19That was the first company to reach other side, including the ITBP,
14:25who immediately started evacuating people.
14:28Now, looking at the, analysing the situation, the topography,
14:31that how many people were living exactly at different locations,
14:34so to reach out their teams at those multiple locations.
14:37Now, because of their landslides, these NDRF persons or the army persons
14:40that are being moved to that incident site for the rescue relief ops.
14:45Of course, these tragedies, the landslides are going to buy literally much more time.
14:50But these personals are quite advanced.
14:52They have the technology, they have materials, they have machinery,
14:55so they can have heavy earth-moving machines.
14:57And of course, as we speak, also the BRO, SDRF,
14:59other agencies have also been roped into ensure they get a smoother highway,
15:03they get smooth access.
15:04But the terrain that has gone disturbed this way,
15:07it will be difficult for them to reach.
15:09But in the meanwhile, those agencies who are already placed there,
15:13overnight this operation will be carried out,
15:15unless and until and unless we see massive disruptions by the rainfall,
15:19which for that railroad has already been issued, Priti.
15:24Ashutosh, before we go to our other guests to stay on with us,
15:27what you can tell us right now,
15:29initial updates suggest, of course, rescue operation on a war footing.
15:33However, it is localized because teams from outside,
15:37the area cannot really penetrate right now,
15:40primarily due to the weather,
15:41due to landslides, blocking roads,
15:43and the aerial route non-operational, number one.
15:46Number two, many are feared missing.
15:48So, unfortunately, Ashutosh, we don't want to sound alarmist,
15:52but we're looking at a number higher than where the fatalities stand,
15:57because right now, initial reports are coming in,
16:00that over 50 are missing,
16:02and a figure has now come in,
16:03that there were over 250 people that were there in Dharali.
16:07We just want to give our viewers a sense,
16:09Dharali is a tourist town as well.
16:10A lot of people who climb to the Gangotri Glacier,
16:13some for adventure,
16:15the others for religious purposes,
16:17station themselves in villages like Dharali.
16:19Correct, Ashutosh?
16:20Absolutely, absolutely.
16:25And this is also,
16:26since the pilgrimage was continuing,
16:27Char Dham Yatra was underway,
16:29we have the number of people,
16:30including the tourists,
16:31not only the locals.
16:32Now, remember,
16:32there are villages which are based around,
16:34located around,
16:35but also commercially very active,
16:37because as you rightly mentioned,
16:38now being pilgrimage route,
16:39also for the tourist destination,
16:41you have hundreds of the people are camping.
16:43Now, reportedly,
16:43there are only 200 people.
16:45All these images that are surfacing so far,
16:47is only reminding about the magnitude of the devastation
16:50that we saw in 2013 in Kedarnath.
16:52However, the number in this locality
16:53could be much less than Kedarnath,
16:55because this is Kedarnath being one of the very most popular.
16:58However, during this time,
17:00you know,
17:00I can witness multiple people have been asking me
17:02whether we should travel to Uttarakhand.
17:04During all our bulletins and different reports,
17:06we have been asking people,
17:07always take reports from the weather department,
17:09check the weather status,
17:10and only then travel.
17:11So, many of these people,
17:12of course, avoid, you know,
17:14traveling to these areas.
17:15That could probably be one factor
17:17where we see a little lesser number
17:19than we compare to the magnitude of 2013.
17:22But exactly,
17:23if you have the number of the people,
17:24even in hundreds,
17:26you know,
17:26this tragedy,
17:27this is going to be devastating.
17:29You know,
17:29Ashutosh,
17:29you continue to stay with us.
17:31We're going to come right back
17:31to try and get in as much more information,
17:33but we can also add viewers,
17:35because we are talking about an army camp
17:36that has also seen some soldiers missing.
17:39That was primarily due to the second cloudburst
17:41that has taken place.
17:43Unfortunately,
17:43we can confirm the 14 Rajputana rifles
17:46were stationed.
17:47There was a brigade command,
17:48brigade headquarter,
17:49where Harsal is concerned,
17:51and initial reports suggest
17:53that there has been damage to that camp,
17:56and many soldiers are also missing there.
17:58I want to quickly introduce our panelists
18:00to our viewers.
18:01Thank you all for your patience
18:02and for joining us,
18:04but we continue to get in the latest information,
18:06so you'll bear with us
18:07and hope,
18:08stay with us for a while.
18:09We have Professor Y.P. Sundarayal,
18:11he's a geologist,
18:12Naveen Bhatnagar,
18:13former DIG NDRF,
18:14Atul Sati,
18:15activist,
18:15Professor,
18:16Gulfran Beg,
18:17founder and project director,
18:20Safar,
18:21Dr. Anjali Prakash,
18:22expert on the Hindu Kush Himalayas water system.
18:25We're going to get all of them
18:26through the course of this one-hour broadcast,
18:28but do stay with me.
18:29We have more information coming in.
18:30We're going to try and push in
18:31as much information
18:32we can give to our viewers right now,
18:34and my colleague Ankit,
18:36who's joining me from the newsroom,
18:37has more to add before we come to you.
18:39Ankit,
18:40what's the latest?
18:41We are trying to stitch together
18:43all the reports that we are getting
18:44from local sources,
18:45official sources.
18:46You just mentioned
18:47an army camp being damaged
18:49due to this.
18:50This is the overview.
18:52This is the overview of Dharali
18:54in Harshal Valley.
18:56Two different streams of mudslides
18:59have been witnessed.
19:00The first visual,
19:01the main visual
19:02that we all saw
19:03on our TV screens
19:06came from this direction.
19:07This is Dharali village.
19:09Roughly 4,000 feet
19:11is this point,
19:14and 4,000 feet
19:15down the slope,
19:17this village,
19:18this village
19:19came,
19:20this village,
19:21this village
19:22faced
19:22a very heavy mudslide.
19:24Aprox speed
19:25of the mudslide
19:26was roughly
19:2743 km per hour.
19:28So you should imagine
19:30how destructive
19:31it could be.
19:32The second stream
19:33of mudslide,
19:33Priti,
19:34the second stream
19:35of mudslide
19:36was likely
19:36came from this direction.
19:38There is a helipad
19:39which belongs to the army
19:40and here is
19:41the Harshal army camp.
19:43The reports
19:44are suggesting
19:44that the Harshal army camp
19:46has been badly damaged
19:48because of this mudslide.
19:50Now,
19:50let's zoom in more
19:52towards the
19:53Dharali village,
19:54the Dharabi,
19:55the Kasbah.
19:57The red dots
19:58on your screen,
19:58Priti,
19:59they show
19:59the destroyed
20:01or the buildings
20:02that have been
20:02completely buried.
20:04On your right,
20:04you see
20:05so many red dots
20:06which means
20:07that the extent
20:07of damage
20:08on the right
20:09of the screen
20:10is that much.
20:11The yellow dots,
20:12the yellow dots
20:13on the screen
20:13are partially
20:14damaged buildings.
20:16This place,
20:17Priti,
20:17has a very popular,
20:18very popular
20:19Kalp Kedar temple.
20:21This is the Kalp Kedar temple,
20:23very popular.
20:24This is Bhagirathi river.
20:25And here,
20:26here you can see
20:27a helipad
20:28right at the bank
20:29of Bhagirathi river Priti
20:31which has been
20:32likely damaged
20:33in this mudslide.
20:35Now,
20:36if you see
20:36this picture,
20:37this should give you
20:38some idea.
20:3912,600 feet
20:40is this point.
20:42Roughly 8,300 feet
20:44from the sea level
20:44is this point.
20:45So,
20:45roughly 4,000 feet
20:47of distance.
20:48Mudslide coming
20:49at a speed
20:50of roughly
20:5043 km per hour.
20:53You should imagine
20:53how destructive
20:54it could be.
20:55So,
20:55right at the bank
20:56is Dharabi Kaspah
20:58and this part,
20:59this is the main
21:00affected area
21:01where roughly
21:02200 to 250 people
21:04are believed to be living.
21:06We do not know
21:06the extent of damage yet,
21:07but this has been
21:08the badly affected,
21:10the main affected area
21:11in the Dharali village.
21:13Another stream
21:14that we mentioned
21:15came from
21:15this direction.
21:16not a lot
21:18of residential
21:18buildings,
21:20but what we are
21:20given to understand
21:21is that
21:22the military camp,
21:23the army camp
21:24has suffered
21:26some kind of damage
21:27because of the
21:28second stream
21:28of the mudslide.
21:30Priti?
21:30Ankit,
21:30thank you for joining
21:31us with that
21:32quick update.
21:33We also,
21:33what we can confirm
21:34and we are cutting
21:34across to Professor
21:35YP Sundrial
21:36at the back of that.
21:37What we can confirm
21:38right now,
21:39once again,
21:39this is all initial
21:40sketchy information.
21:42The expanse
21:42of this tragedy
21:43is still unknown.
21:45We must say that
21:46very clearly
21:47because very little
21:48information is coming in.
21:50All roads leading
21:51to Dharali,
21:53leading to Harsal
21:54right now,
21:54most of them
21:55completely blocked.
21:56The aerial route
21:57is blocked.
21:57What we are picking up
21:58is local info
22:00and local intelligence.
22:01Though there are
22:02SDRF,
22:03NDRF teams,
22:04the local brigade,
22:05the army also,
22:06you know,
22:07pitching in.
22:08So,
22:09having said all of that,
22:10the expanse
22:11of this tragedy
22:12is still unknown.
22:12Professor YP Sundrial
22:14who is a geologist
22:15is joining us.
22:17One of the main reasons,
22:18Professor,
22:18what is being indicated
22:20is the riverlets
22:22completely breaching
22:23their banks,
22:24once again pointing out
22:25to the larger tragedy
22:26we keep speaking of
22:27that you cannot
22:27bind rivers.
22:29This one,
22:30the Kheer Ganga here,
22:32completely consuming
22:33this village
22:34in its wake.
22:36Yes,
22:37actually,
22:37if you see
22:38the location,
22:40it is completely,
22:41we can say that
22:41it is unsafe.
22:43And the seed grid
22:45of the people,
22:47they constructed
22:48their homestay.
22:50Actually,
22:51these damaged lodges
22:54are mainly homestay.
22:55Right.
22:55For which government
22:56also giving some grants,
22:59a startup grant.
23:00But,
23:01unfortunately,
23:02we occupied unsafe places
23:03for this construction.
23:05and administration
23:06should not allow
23:09to occupy such places
23:11which are unsafe.
23:13This is the first thing
23:14what happened
23:15due to this cloudburst
23:18in the Kheer Ganga.
23:19Mainly,
23:20second thing
23:21I want to tell you
23:22that
23:23in the recent research,
23:25we have many published papers
23:26by our Indian scientists
23:28who told that
23:31that
23:31on the basis
23:32of last
23:33500-year data,
23:37Beruwalsani Institute
23:38of Paleo Science,
23:39they published a paper
23:40in 2023
23:41and they said
23:43that
23:43the
23:46trend of the rainfall
23:47particularly
23:49in the Uttarakhand,
23:50Himalaya
23:50is decreasing.
23:53It means
23:53total rainfall
23:54is decreasing
23:55trend they got
23:56but
23:57what they found
23:58that extreme event
24:00is increasing
24:01day by day.
24:03And that's what
24:03Right.
24:05So,
24:05I'll just come to you.
24:06I want to,
24:06I'll just,
24:07allow me to just bring in
24:07our other guests
24:08and we'll come back
24:09to the reasons
24:09on,
24:10you know,
24:10with what you pointed out
24:11is an important point
24:12you're making
24:13because clearly
24:13weather patterns
24:14are changing,
24:15there's climate change.
24:16What you pointed out
24:17that rain is decreasing
24:18but incidents like this
24:20are only but increasing
24:21and we've seen them
24:22one too many.
24:23Naveen Bhatnagar,
24:24you've,
24:25former DIG,
24:26NDRF,
24:27the first 24 hours
24:28as NDRF,
24:29I'm sure Mr. Bhatnagar,
24:30you know,
24:31are crucial
24:31where rescue is concerned
24:33because right now
24:35rescue is priority,
24:36relief will only kick in later.
24:37But what you see
24:38in terms of just visuals,
24:40what does it indicate?
24:41Are we looking
24:42in terms of expanse
24:44at a 2013-like tragedy
24:46in Uttarakhand?
24:49Yeah.
24:50So,
24:51lot of changes are there
24:53because
24:54this flesh blood
24:57came from top to bottom
25:00so
25:00with a lot of debris
25:03and other
25:05this flesh blood also.
25:07so due to that pressure
25:09and a lot of things
25:11were reported
25:13and loss of
25:14was there
25:15especially in the
25:17villages area
25:18and nearby places
25:20of Ganges.
25:21Likewise,
25:23lot of
25:23losses
25:24being reported.
25:27So,
25:27being an
25:27NDRF,
25:28our NDRF,
25:30SDRF people,
25:31they are doing
25:32their rescue operations.
25:34Yeah.
25:35All right.
25:36Okay.
25:36I want to
25:37quickly cut across
25:38right now
25:38to Atul Sati
25:39who is an activist.
25:41Atul Sati,
25:41all right,
25:42we seem to have lost.
25:43Do we have
25:43Professor Beg?
25:45Professor Beg,
25:45would you want to
25:46comment on what
25:46we are witnessing
25:47right now
25:47in Uttarakhand,
25:48sir?
25:48Yes,
25:50I am extremely
25:52tragic and
25:53unfortunate incident.
25:54My condolences.
25:57Very briefly,
25:58I would like to
25:59mention that
26:00it is more
26:01of a
26:02land sliding
26:03for a number
26:03of reasons,
26:05but not
26:05a cloud
26:07bust.
26:08It is a
26:08near cloud bust.
26:09In fact,
26:10it is more than
26:10cloud bust
26:11kind of a
26:11situation
26:12which has been
26:13created.
26:14Reason is
26:14that because
26:16of the
26:16continuous rain
26:17for these
26:18many days,
26:19the what
26:20you call
26:20is a
26:21Kheel
26:22River,
26:23there it
26:23got outflowed
26:24because it
26:25is coming
26:25from such
26:26a top level.
26:28The flow
26:28was very fast
26:29and the
26:29major point
26:30was that
26:31the natural
26:32flow which
26:32was coming
26:33to this
26:34area,
26:35Dharali,
26:36and then
26:36another nearby
26:37hill from
26:38there,
26:39the water
26:39was streaming.
26:40Those,
26:41because of
26:41the continuous
26:42rain,
26:42soil got
26:42too much
26:43of a
26:43damage,
26:44that got
26:44mixed up.
26:45So one
26:45side,
26:46number of
26:47streams got
26:48merged up,
26:49then coming
26:50from this
26:51Dhirgarh
26:53River,
26:54it got
26:54outflowed
26:55suddenly and
26:56that made
26:56a catastrophe.
26:58And this
26:58is something
26:59which we
26:59should know
27:00that this
27:01area,
27:02the landslide
27:02is very
27:03devastating
27:04because all
27:04of them
27:05are mud
27:05which will
27:06carry along
27:07with the
27:07water,
27:08unlike
27:08Lonawala
27:09Khandala
27:10where it
27:10is more
27:11of a
27:11rocky,
27:12so it
27:12will just
27:12get into
27:13that and
27:13it will
27:14not flow
27:14and that
27:15is what
27:15the tragic
27:15pictures you
27:16have been
27:16seeing it.
27:17So it
27:17will all
27:18through water
27:18will carry
27:19this sludge
27:20along with
27:21this and
27:21it will
27:21make even
27:22much more
27:22disasters.
27:23Now the
27:24reasons for
27:25how that
27:25got the river
27:26overflowed as
27:27well as
27:28this is
27:28happening
27:28because
27:29obvious reason
27:30is that
27:31the drainage
27:32areas are
27:33getting
27:33chopped,
27:34water is
27:34not finding
27:35it to
27:35spread in
27:36longer
27:37areas and
27:38there what
27:38exactly we
27:39need to
27:39look into
27:40that what
27:41are the
27:41kind of
27:41construction
27:42which is
27:43more than
27:43what we
27:44can swallow
27:44which is
27:45happening and
27:46then we
27:46need to
27:46see the
27:47plastic usage
27:48and other
27:48things.
27:49Most likely
27:49the drainage
27:51water is not
27:51finding any
27:52places to
27:53spread around
27:54and continuous
27:55rain is
27:55anyway putting
27:57the fury of
27:57that moisture
27:58because of the
27:59climate change
28:00is becoming
28:00very huge.
28:01so in
28:02addition to
28:03monsoon plus
28:04heavy moisture
28:05laden atmospheric
28:06cloud both of
28:08them putting
28:09extreme rainfalls
28:10and this is
28:11what it has
28:12happened.
28:13But then I
28:13just want to
28:14correct only
28:15this thing that
28:15it was really
28:17not a cloud
28:17bust because
28:18the rain was
28:19not that fast
28:20because cloud
28:21bust definition
28:22is that within
28:22one hour a
28:23hundred mm
28:23rain should have
28:25been there
28:26within a
28:2610 by 10
28:27kilometer.
28:27That was not
28:28really the case
28:28because it was
28:29not that fast
28:30within one hour.
28:31So you are
28:31saying it's
28:31flash floods
28:32and it wasn't
28:32a cloud
28:33burst because
28:33the initial
28:34information.
28:34Exactly.
28:35It is a
28:35widespread fast
28:36rain.
28:37Okay.
28:38Made the
28:39soil weaker
28:40and there is
28:40one.
28:41Alright.
28:41So you are
28:41saying it's
28:42not a cloud
28:42burst because
28:43what we have
28:43been confirmed
28:44right now by
28:44our local
28:46information coming
28:47in that it
28:48was a cloud
28:49burst and there
28:49were not one
28:50but two or
28:50three cloud
28:51bursts that
28:51took place.
28:51But you are
28:52suggesting this
28:52was more of
28:53a flash flood.
28:54But Atul
28:54Satiyah, we
28:55finally have him
28:56back.
28:57Mr. Satiyah,
28:57this is something
28:58that has played
28:59out multiple times
29:00over, especially
29:01where Uttarakhand
29:02is concerned.
29:03This is once
29:04again deja vu
29:05and collateral
29:07are the
29:07hapless people
29:08of Uttarakhand.
29:19Mr. Satiyah,
29:19can you hear me,
29:21sir?
29:25Mr. Satiyah,
29:26can you hear me?
29:27All right, we
29:29seem to be having
29:29a bit of an audio
29:30problem.
29:31We are going to
29:31try and connect
29:32back to Mr.
29:33Ratul Satiyah.
29:33But let me once
29:34again go back
29:35and get you the
29:36latest information
29:37that is coming in
29:38and it is not
29:41good.
29:41These are the
29:42latest visuals that
29:43have been recorded
29:43just a short while
29:44back.
29:44You can actually
29:45see cars being
29:47swept away.
29:50And sadly, we
29:51have been told
29:52that there were
29:52people inside this
29:54car.
29:55That is how
29:56tragic this is,
30:00viewers.
30:00These visuals
30:01were recorded
30:01just half an
30:04hour ago by
30:04locals at
30:05Dharali village.
30:06This is around
30:06Dharali village.
30:08There was just
30:08no time.
30:10And, you know,
30:11unfortunate visuals,
30:14disconcerting.
30:15but this is what
30:19has happened.
30:20And you can see
30:20this car being
30:21completely swept
30:22away in the
30:23sludge of the
30:24water.
30:26Viewer discretion,
30:27viewers, is
30:27advised because
30:28these visuals can
30:30be triggering.
30:31All right, so,
30:32you know, of
30:34course, the
30:34political brass has
30:35kicked in.
30:36You have Pushkar
30:36Dhami, visuals
30:38coming in.
30:39He spoke to the
30:39press a short
30:40while ago saying
30:40every possible
30:42help is being
30:42extended but right
30:43now there is
30:44hardly any help
30:44that can actually
30:45reach the
30:46Dharali village
30:47viewers and
30:47that's the sad
30:48part.
30:50Can you hear
30:51the, you know,
30:51we're going to
30:51just try and
30:52amp up the
30:54locals around
30:55some.
30:58All right, so
30:58the locals
30:59around, you
31:01know, you can
31:01hear them.
31:02Like I said,
31:03viewer discretion
31:03is advised.
31:04These visuals can
31:05be triggering to
31:05some.
31:06We're just
31:07trying to put
31:07out the latest
31:08that we have
31:09and we're trying
31:09to put out
31:10verified information.
31:11And sadly,
31:12what we're picking
31:12up is that this
31:13car was swept
31:14away with people
31:15still inside the
31:16car.
31:16There was just
31:17no reaction
31:18time.
31:19The expanse of
31:20the tragedy
31:21continues to
31:22unfold.
31:22What we can
31:23tell our viewers,
31:24four dead,
31:25over 50 reported
31:27missing,
31:28many buried
31:29under the debris
31:30and sludge.
31:32Unfortunately,
31:33these figures are
31:34just figures right
31:35now and they are
31:36expected to rise.
31:37Are we looking at
31:38a 2013-like tragedy
31:40is the big question?
31:42We hope not,
31:43but is that what
31:45we are staring at?
31:46Because little by
31:47little, the expanse
31:48of this tragedy
31:49is only but
31:49widening.
31:50We've gotten
31:51information that
31:52there is a brigade
31:53headquarters stationed
31:54in Harsil.
31:55One of the army
31:56camps there has
31:57suffered massive
31:57damage.
31:58The ones in
31:58that army,
31:59some of them,
32:00are reportedly
32:01missing too.
32:02The helipad in
32:04Harsil,
32:04completely destroyed.
32:06In any case,
32:07it's been incessant
32:07rain.
32:08There's a red
32:08alert where
32:09Uttarakhand is
32:09concerned and
32:10due to the
32:11weather conditions,
32:12there is no
32:13air operation.
32:15So, no
32:16helicopters landing
32:17in Harsil
32:18where rescue
32:19is concerned.
32:20The local
32:20NDRF,
32:21SDRF teams
32:22have kicked in.
32:24ITBP teams
32:24have kicked in
32:25and the brigade
32:26headquarters,
32:27the army that
32:28is still stationed
32:28there,
32:29the Jawans,
32:29all in where
32:30rescue operations
32:32are concerned.
32:33Once again,
32:33let's try and
32:34connect to Mr.
32:34Atul Sati.
32:35All right,
32:36we don't have
32:36Atul Sati with
32:37us.
32:38Professor YP
32:39Sundreyal,
32:39who's been
32:40studying the
32:40geology of this
32:41area for decades
32:42right now,
32:43can maybe add
32:44to why we are
32:45witnessing tragedies
32:47such as this.
32:48But Mr.
32:49Sundreyal,
32:49in your opinion,
32:51over the decades
32:52that you've studied
32:53Uttarakhand,
32:53you've witnessed
32:55many and studied
32:58many of these
32:58catastrophes.
32:59Are we looking
33:00at something like
33:022013 or is this
33:05contained?
33:06Yes, actually,
33:08if you look at
33:09the video that
33:10was made by the
33:11local people and
33:12they are viral on
33:14the social media,
33:16it looks like
33:182021 that
33:22Rishi Ganga
33:23went because
33:26fog of the
33:28dust is
33:29coming first
33:30and then
33:32the debris,
33:33the water
33:35along with the
33:36boulders,
33:36along with the
33:37sediments,
33:39we call in the
33:40geology,
33:40it is a debris
33:41flow and it
33:42is very powerful.
33:43But the main
33:45question is
33:47why people
33:48allowed to
33:49occupy the
33:50unsafe places
33:51along the
33:53riverbank.
33:55All the losses
33:56that happened
33:57in 2013,
33:58Kedarnath
33:58disaster,
34:00all the
34:00casualties
34:01happened when
34:02we occupied
34:03the courses
34:04of the river
34:04from Rudrupryag
34:07up to
34:08Kedarnath,
34:09then again
34:10from Rudrupryag
34:12up to
34:13Badrinath.
34:14So,
34:15government
34:15should take
34:16care of
34:17all these
34:18unsafe places
34:19and they
34:19should not
34:20allow any
34:21person.
34:21Fair point,
34:22sir.
34:23That is
34:23something which
34:24activists and
34:25professors like
34:26you have been
34:26saying for
34:27decades now
34:28because a lot
34:29of what we
34:30see is man
34:31made and
34:31visuals like
34:33this that you
34:33can see on
34:34your television
34:34screen will
34:36trigger you,
34:36it will break
34:37your heart
34:38when you see
34:38people struggling
34:39to get away
34:40from the
34:40sludge,
34:41desperate to
34:42get away in
34:43the wake of
34:43what is clear
34:44coming
34:45catastrophe.
34:46Dr.
34:47Anjali
34:47Prakash,
34:48expert on
34:48the Hindu
34:48Kush
34:49Himalayas,
34:50is with
34:50us.
34:51Dr.
34:51Prakash,
34:53Himalayan
34:53catastrophe once
34:54again playing
34:55out in the
34:56state of
34:56Uttarakhand.
34:57One question
34:58which I think
34:59everyone is
35:00asking today
35:00because we
35:01still are
35:02yet to get
35:03to grips
35:04with the
35:06expanse of
35:06this tragedy,
35:07but are we
35:08looking at
35:09a 2013-like
35:10tragedy or is
35:11it contained?
35:12No, so
35:14this has
35:15been a
35:16tragedy which
35:16is actually
35:17in the
35:17making.
35:18It is not
35:18something that
35:19I am really
35:19surprised about
35:20because there
35:21is numerous
35:21reports including
35:23IPCC report
35:24where I have
35:24been part of
35:25the mountain
35:25chapter has
35:26a couple of
35:27years before
35:28has made it
35:29very categorically
35:30determined that
35:32these kind of
35:32events are going
35:33to be rising in
35:34the future.
35:34Government of
35:35India has
35:35brought on a
35:36couple of
35:36reports.
35:36These own
35:37government
35:37organizations have
35:38been writing,
35:39scientists are
35:39writing.
35:39So this is
35:40a known
35:41knowledge
35:41and that is
35:42the problem
35:42also lies that
35:43the knowledge
35:44is not leading
35:44to wisdom and
35:45it is not
35:46leading to
35:46action on
35:47ground and
35:47that is the
35:48way we are
35:49seeing.
35:50You have to
35:50understand that
35:51these events
35:52are going to
35:52be increasing
35:53in future and
35:54this is not
35:55only today but
35:55tomorrow is
35:57going to be
35:57increasing both
35:58in frequency as
35:59well as the
35:59intensity of
36:00these events and
36:01that is where
36:01also that we
36:02have to take
36:03action and
36:04that is the
36:04major part.
36:06There are a
36:06couple of
36:06points also which
36:07is coming out
36:08from here.
36:08One is
36:09definitely about
36:09the early
36:10warning system.
36:11We have seen
36:12that IMD has
36:13been issued
36:14warning but
36:14that warning
36:15has not led
36:16to action on
36:17ground.
36:17Otherwise the
36:17images that
36:18you see people
36:19should have
36:19been rescued
36:21at least the
36:21higher end
36:22would have
36:23the warning
36:24is that that
36:24would lead to
36:25a kind of
36:26flood situation
36:26and that means
36:27that people
36:28have to be
36:28evacuated from
36:29those risk
36:30area.
36:30But we
36:31probably may
36:31not have
36:31done the
36:32risk mapping
36:32to understand
36:33that these
36:33places where
36:35some of these
36:36issues, some
36:37of the water
36:38has been
36:38flowing down
36:39could also
36:40be a high
36:41risk zone.
36:42So there are
36:43many, many
36:43problems which
36:45is actually
36:45related to the
36:46way in which
36:47we are planning,
36:48the way in which
36:48we are actually
36:49trying to rescue
36:50our own people
36:51and at the same
36:51time we are also
36:52protecting our
36:53future for a
36:54very fragile region
36:55that we have.
36:56you know, we
36:58are taking you
36:59back to more
37:00information that
37:01is coming in
37:01right now.
37:02We are going to
37:03cut across to the
37:03latest that the
37:05Chief Minister and
37:06that's the news
37:06break coming in,
37:07Uttarakhand Chief
37:08Minister Pushkar
37:09Singh Dhami has
37:09chaired a disaster
37:10management meet in
37:11Uttarakhand, the
37:12meeting being held
37:13at Uttarakhand
37:15Emergency Operations
37:17Centre in
37:18Dehradun.
37:19So while all of
37:21these meetings are
37:21taking place and
37:22they continue to
37:23take place after
37:24every tragedy that
37:25we see, the
37:25collateral are
37:26always the people.
37:27Clearly, there is
37:29something that we
37:29are doing tragically
37:30wrong that results
37:32in what we see and
37:33you combine it with
37:34climate change, you
37:34combine it with
37:35changing weather
37:36patterns and what
37:37you get is a
37:38mammoth catastrophe
37:39and tragedy on
37:40hand.
37:40Once again, we
37:41just want to focus
37:42in on what, you
37:43know, the latest
37:44that is coming in
37:46right now and
37:46Ashutosh is joining
37:47us.
37:47Ashutosh, you
37:49know, one thing
37:50that most experts
37:51are looking at
37:53keenly, you
37:54and unfortunately,
37:56are we looking at
37:57a 2013 like
37:58tragedy because,
38:00you know, or is
38:01that contained this
38:02time around?
38:03Because the
38:04visuals that are
38:04coming in, the
38:05kind of eyewitness
38:06accounts that are
38:07coming in, what are
38:08we looking at?
38:13Well, Priti, just
38:14being a human
38:15being, we would
38:15always pray that
38:16there should not
38:18be any repeat of
38:182013.
38:20But as someone who
38:21has covered this
38:21situation from the
38:22ground zero and
38:23analysing these
38:24images, we are
38:26seeing actually a
38:27very potential
38:28devastation because
38:30you have a city full
38:32of the people, not
38:33only the locals but
38:34also the outsiders,
38:35the tourists, the
38:35pilgrims, because the
38:36religious tourism also
38:37underway.
38:38subsequent to that
38:39entire terrain, the
38:40way it washed away the
38:41entire city, perhaps the
38:43casualty could go a
38:44little higher.
38:45Moreover, even if there
38:46are few people who are
38:47breathing, they are, you
38:48know, taking their last
38:49breath, perhaps could be
38:51safe potentially.
38:52But now you have totally
38:53hostile weather.
38:54We are crossing over
38:55Haridwar and still the
38:56imparts, they started
38:56raining.
38:57So eventually there is a
38:58high alert, red alert also
38:59being issued for that
39:00district of Uttarkashu as
39:01well.
39:02If the rain continues and
39:03if there are sub-debris or
39:04something suspended in those
39:06particular areas with the
39:07rain flow and exactly
39:09seeing the incline, that
39:10will also come down.
39:11So the Isna is a race
39:13against time.
39:14You have a hostile
39:15weather and of course
39:16there is no electricity
39:17because that area has
39:18washed away.
39:19Now the number of
39:20people, there is a very
39:21limited number of people
39:22who are already carrying
39:23out those operations,
39:25searching out the people
39:25for with their torch, with
39:27whatever machinery they
39:28have available.
39:29So all these machinery
39:29that are being moved
39:30inside will also face the
39:32challenge of the
39:32landslide unless that is
39:34cleared by the
39:35GREF and BROs, they
39:37will also take a little
39:38time.
39:38So this is a race
39:39against time and the
39:40critical time is exactly
39:42now this where you have
39:43a battle against the
39:44weather, the totally
39:45hostile weather.
39:46So tomorrow onwards, in
39:47fact as we speak, Air
39:49Force has also been
39:50roped in for such
39:50operations.
39:51We have the Chinook,
39:52Advanced Light
39:53Helicopter, Druar,
39:54Cheetah, all these
39:55helicopters are being put
39:55on standby including
39:56Mi-17 because once you
39:58start getting people
39:59injured, you will be
40:00transferring them to
40:01Ames, Rishikesh and
40:03several other such
40:04hospitals.
40:04So the machineries
40:06have been moved,
40:06the agencies have
40:07been moved, the
40:08boots on the ground
40:08are already carrying
40:10out this operation to
40:11save maximum people.
40:12But then we have
40:13seen what has
40:14happened in 2013,
40:15the challenges
40:16reaching out to
40:17those terrain,
40:18landing choppers at
40:19those terrain,
40:20evacuating people
40:21from those terrain.
40:22So that clearly
40:23explains how this
40:25furious cloudburst
40:26has literally
40:27devastated this
40:28landscape of, the
40:29beautiful landscape
40:30of Uttarakhand.
40:30Ashutosh, you
40:31continue to stay
40:32on with us because
40:33while the Uttarakhand
40:35flash flood has
40:36clearly sparked
40:37memories of 2013
40:38with what Uttarakhand
40:40witnessed, what
40:41India witnessed,
40:42one of the worst
40:43tragedies that
40:43actually took
40:44thousand lives.
40:44Right now,
40:45we don't want to
40:46sound alarmist at all.
40:47It is contained
40:48similar in nature
40:50in just in terms
40:51of the landslide
40:51but why we say
40:52it is possibly
40:53contained than
40:542013 is because
40:56the area of what
40:58it's affected and
40:59that is much
41:00smaller than what
41:01it was in 2013.
41:03But having said
41:03that, rescue is on
41:05a war footing.
41:06These are just
41:06initial figures that
41:07are coming out.
41:08Larger questions
41:09now being raised
41:10on whether we
41:12have forward
41:13planning, where
41:14the IMD is
41:15concerned, should
41:15there have been
41:16evacuation of these
41:17buildings.
41:18Lots of questions
41:19that are coming to
41:20the fore and we
41:21continue.
41:21to disseminate
41:23that information
41:23to our viewers
41:24as and when we
41:25have.
41:26I think activist
41:27Mr. Sati on the
41:28phone line with us.
41:30Alright, we don't
41:31seem to have him.
41:32Let's try and get
41:33him but let's
41:34continue to give
41:35out the latest
41:35that is coming in.
41:36You have the
41:38Chief Minister of
41:39Uttarakhand who
41:39is chairing
41:40Meet right now
41:42where disaster
41:44management is
41:45concerned and
41:46efforts on a
41:48war footing in
41:49Dehradun to try
41:50and cope with
41:51this tragedy
41:52still to come to
41:54grips and
41:54understand the
41:55expanse of the
41:56tragedy because the
41:57information that is
41:58coming out is
41:59largely very, very
42:01limited viewers.
42:03I want to go to
42:03Mr. Naveen
42:04Bhatnagar and we'll
42:04go back to Ashutosh
42:05for more information.
42:07Naveen Bhatnagar,
42:0824 hours is what
42:10we are looking at as
42:11a window for
42:12maximum rescue
42:13because after that
42:15sadly there can be
42:16relief but the
42:17possibility of
42:18rescue diminishes.
42:20Yeah, so it's a
42:23dark area today so
42:26it will be very
42:27difficult for our
42:28rescuers to find out
42:30and do the rescue
42:31operations but
42:32anyhow as an NDRF we
42:34have the ASCA
42:36standby lights and
42:37other equipments also
42:39in that we can do
42:42this rescue operations.
42:43Need not to worry,
42:44we have the night
42:45vision cameras also
42:47as well as the
42:48other equipments also.
42:50We have the life
42:51locator as well as
42:52the other sonar
42:54system also we have.
42:56So we can find out
42:57the
42:57this one
43:00bodies or the
43:01victims.
43:02If anybody is
43:03alive, we can find
43:04out and even the
43:06few people will be
43:07ascending and they
43:09will be getting this
43:10air pocket also in
43:12this mud so they
43:14will be alive.
43:15So we will rescue
43:16them, need not to
43:17worry and also our
43:19men are so trained
43:20that they will
43:22continue the rescue
43:23operation because it's
43:25a crucial time.
43:26If we will be
43:28waiting for the
43:29morning or some
43:31delay will be there
43:31so definitely we
43:33will be losing our
43:34target.
43:35But anyhow, with
43:37the God help and
43:38now this your
43:40weather may be
43:42something helpful to
43:43us up to this
43:45morning and we
43:47will be able to
43:47Well that's just
43:47hope you know
43:48because there is
43:48only but prayers
43:49right now to offer
43:50because the gods
43:51look very very
43:52angry because you
43:53have the Kheer
43:54Ganga that has
43:54completely consumed
43:55one village taking
43:56everything in its
43:57wake and tragic
43:58visuals coming in.
43:59But like I said
44:00viewers, prayers
44:01for Dev Bhoomi
44:03Uttarkashi.
44:05I want to quickly
44:06take you through
44:07the latest visuals
44:08that are coming in.
44:08A cloudburst in
44:09Uttarkashi's
44:10Dharali village
44:11has caused
44:11widespread destruction
44:12across the village
44:13completely consumed.
44:14Take a look.
44:15Disturbing visuals
44:16show flash floods
44:17swallowing an entire
44:18village.
44:19Several homes can be
44:20seen being washed
44:21along with people
44:22being swept away
44:23in the floodwaters.
44:25Viewers discretion
44:26with these visuals
44:28viewers, some of them
44:29can be very very
44:30triggering.
44:33Where you can see
44:34villagers running
44:35and scrambling for
44:36safety as the flood
44:37hits the region
44:38videos have captured
44:40the horrors in the
44:41Himalayas.
44:42At least four people
44:43have died in the
44:44destruction but
44:44several more feared
44:46dread and you can
44:47very well see as
44:49this flash flood
44:50takes everything
44:51in its wake
44:52including those
44:53desperately running
44:55away from it.
44:58Before and after
44:59pictures of Dharali
45:01show the extent of
45:02damage to the village
45:03after the cloudburst.
45:04Senior officials
45:05including the chief
45:06secretary, commissioner
45:07of Garawal division
45:08are monitoring the
45:09situation at the
45:10state disaster
45:11operations center in
45:13Dehradun.
45:16Meanwhile the Indian
45:17army has mobilized
45:18150 personnel at the
45:20site and intensified
45:21rescue operations.
45:22So far about 20
45:23individuals have been
45:24successfully evacuated.
45:27Search and rescue
45:29efforts are underway to
45:30locate and evacuate the
45:32stranded persons.
45:38In the aftermath of the
45:39cloudburst the water
45:41levels in rivers have
45:42risen significantly and
45:43houses can be seen
45:44completely submerged in
45:46mud at the river banks.
45:48Videos also show
45:48residents living close to
45:50the banks running for
45:51cover.
45:51after Dharali, Uttarkashi
46:00has seen yet another
46:02cloudburst this time near
46:03Sukhuni top.
46:04No casualties were
46:05reported.
46:07A bird's eye view of the
46:08region showing nature in
46:10full fury.
46:11This has been the
46:25expanse of this
46:26catastrophe viewers.
46:27We've taken you through
46:28the visuals that have
46:29come in once again.
46:32It's only unfolding in
46:33terms of the
46:34information is sketchy
46:36because all of these
46:37are local inputs.
46:39Most roads that are
46:40leading to the
46:40devastation site are
46:42blocked because of
46:42landslides.
46:43There is a red alert in
46:45the state of Uttarakhand
46:46especially around the
46:47Uttarkashi region
46:48primarily because of the
46:51cloudburst and in the
46:52next 12 hours expected
46:54to get incessant very
46:56very high rainfall.
46:58So that is not going to
47:00make things any which way
47:01easier where rescue is
47:04concerned.
47:05The helipad in Harsil has
47:07been swept away so even
47:09choppers right now cannot
47:11land.
47:17Alright, I have Mr.
47:18Vinod Kumar, Secretary
47:19Disaster Management on the
47:20phone line with us.
47:21Mr. Kumar, can you get us
47:22up to speed, sir?
47:23Give us the latest in terms
47:25of the rescue operations?
47:26In the moment, there are
47:29120 people and local
47:32administration, there are
47:3310 to 15 people and
47:37SDRF 10 to 20 people
47:39working.
47:40Around 300 rescue officers
47:44and persons are on the way
47:46to Harsil for rescue operations.
47:49But in the way, there are
47:52people who have been
47:53stuck in the way.
47:53They have all modern
47:58equipment, which will get
47:59the help of rescue.
48:00But it was, as I have
48:01told you, that it was
48:03being done in the way.
48:04It was being done in the way,
48:05which is being done in the way.
48:06Vinojji, you told me that there were 300 teams left there for rescue, 300 personnel left there, but now they are also stranded.
48:18So now the local teams are now involved in that rescue?
48:26How many are they rescued? Some figures have come from casualties or fatalities?
48:30Connectivity is not there, therefore we are not able to find the exact number, but rescue operation is going on.
48:40120 plus army personnel and some local officers and villagers and GRF troops are working on rescue operation.
48:50Vinojji, because there is a red alert because of the rains and air operations, because the helipad has been swept away,
49:00air operations and weather cannot be carried out, so what are we expecting for the next 12 hours for relief or rescue?
49:09Mane Mukundi Ji has been taken into the control room?
49:16Mane Mukundi Ji has been taken into control room, but it is a horrible control room for the travel.
49:19Corporate App India is supporting us.
49:21The helipad is set to fly with the helipad, but due to bad wear they are not able to fly.
49:27We are not able to fly in the troops, because we are not able to reach the troops.
49:33Our helicopter is not allowed to take away from them.
49:36We hope that we will be able to do the same thing.
49:42Our team will be able to reach out to reach out to reach out to reach out to reach out to reach out to reach out.
49:57Inot Kumar ji, I will ask another question, the locals are saying that there is a big issue.
50:04What is the initial indication of the initial indication?
50:09What are we dealing with?
50:11There is a big issue, as you said.
50:14We will pray to God that there will be less people's death.
50:19There was a lot of time. We had 30 seconds to 40 seconds.
50:24There are a lot of people running. We are hoping that there will be a lot of children.
50:29But after this rescue, we will know how many people are suffering, and how many people are suffering.
50:37Thank you very much, Vinot Kumar ji.
50:39Thank you so much, sir.
50:40Dr. Anjal Prakash, I want to just come back to you as well as we will bring in Gulfam Beg as well.
50:44But Dr. Prakash, initial indications clearly suggest that even where government is concerned,
50:50they do understand what we are looking at is a massive tragedy.
50:55Yes, that's exactly the point is that we have to plan for these things.
51:01This is something which is known fact for all of us who are working in this area.
51:06And that means not only Uttarakhand, but Himachal Pradesh, also the states like Sikkim and other Northeastern states,
51:13which is under greater risk.
51:15And that means you have to have a very concerted planning of how they should be looking at these disasters.
51:21It's not knee jerk solutions of each disasters and we take it together and talk, but a long term planning.
51:28Now, one point I would like to bring out, which is also emphasized in IPCC report, is about climate resilient planning.
51:34And that is the climate resilient planning means that we have to very simply first identify the zones that is, you know, in a higher risk.
51:43And those zones have to be cleared off or at least the warning system has to reach out to those people in advance.
51:4930 seconds is nothing. You know, 30 seconds, you can't go from point A to point B in that sense.
51:54So you can imagine the situation of those people who are just trapped because then they have no control over this process.
52:00And that's something which is alarming for us. This is the wake up call for all of us who are working in this area.
52:06Please, please, please make sure that this is not repeated again.
52:10At least the lives and livelihood are not lost.
52:12Professor Prakash, because this is not really the first time we've seen a tragedy of this nature.
52:17It happens practically every year. Maybe the intensity of it changes.
52:20Do you see this as maybe the, you know, this is going to be the wake up call?
52:25Because it doesn't seem that it really trickles down into any action on ground.
52:30Yes, Preeti, this is a new normal. In the climate parlance, we are saying this new normal.
52:35There's the frequency and the intensity is going to increase.
52:39The only problem is if we don't know with the climate change issues, we do not know when and where it's going to strike.
52:44And that means that the area which is, which has been marked again, high risk area.
52:49Himalayas are one of the high risk zones, which we have to really, really plan.
52:54And this is a concerted effect. It is not state specific planning. It is the region specific planning.
52:59That means you have to look at both Eastern and Western Himalayan region and then plan in continuity so that we can save lives and livelihood for millions of people who are actually staying there.
53:09You have to also understand these are one of the youngest mountains of the world.
53:13This is one of the highest density mountain systems of the world.
53:16And that means that we have to take utmost care in terms of how do we look at these situations in the future.
53:23Most of this is not in our control because the global warming feeding to cloud burst or the you know situation that is happening leading to avalanche.
53:32But what is in our hand is about saving lives of our own people through a very concerted planning, through a robust early warning system where things can be really monitored,
53:44especially in this season where it should have been monitored.
53:47I am sure it's all to say that it has not reached the last person.
53:51Otherwise, we wouldn't have seen the casualties and the live visual that you're showing to us.
53:55And that is unfortunate.
53:57Because it takes a completely different set of planning now, Professor Vaipi Sundryal, especially because there are dams in the area.
54:05Everything now needs to change in terms of how we look at development where our mountains are concerned,
54:11especially where Uttarkashi is concerned because you are a geologist.
54:15This is one of the most prone areas to an incident like this.
54:20Yes, actually, in 1978, we have seen the same type of the disaster in Uttarkashi.
54:29In 1978, one Kanodia guard that was dammed by the landslide and a natural dam was framed there and that burst.
54:38And your Josiara, which is located on the other side of Uttarkashi, was completely washed away.
54:44The national highway was washed away about 20 to 25 kilometers.
54:49In 1978, I am talking that, of 1978.
54:53And unfortunately, all the national highways, either they are for Badrinath or they are for Kedarnath or they are for Gangotri, Amnotri,
55:03they are passing along the river.
55:08That is very unfortunate.
55:09At some time, the height of the road is just near the riverbed, just about 20 to 25 meters above the riverbed at some places.
55:20We have seen this type of the roads in the Mandakani in 2013 disaster.
55:25And again, we have not learned any lesson from the Kedarnath disaster.
55:30We have again allowed the construction of the road and this settlement at the unsafe site.
55:37This is very unfortunate.
55:39So we should, at least now, scientists have already identified which are the unsafe sites for the construction.
55:49Right.
55:50Data is there.
55:51But the million-dollar question is, who will implement these recommendations of the scientists?
55:57I agree.
55:58Right.
55:59One alarming situation, scientists have already declared through their researches that in future, Himalaya, and particularly in Trakhand, Himalaya,
56:09we are going to face such type of calamities.
56:13True, sir.
56:14The number of such type of incident will increase.
56:17True.
56:18I appreciate both you gentlemen for joining us.
56:20Thank you, Debi.
56:21As Professor Sundarayal taught that we haven't really quite learnt our lessons.
56:24But sadly, sometimes when lessons aren't learnt, they are taught in the cruelest of manners again.
56:29And what we witness right now is exactly that.
56:32The gods are angry where Dev Bhoomi is concerned.
56:35Prayers for Uttar Kashi and Uttarakhand.
56:38Let's hope tomorrow the weather clears out and rescue and relief can finally start.
56:43Because caught in the midst of climate change, in the midst of urban decay in our mountains,
56:50our citizens go lateral and you can see that on the television screens.
56:54We're going to leave it at that.
56:55Thank you for joining us.
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