WHY KEDARNATH HAPPENED A scientific analysis of the reasons for the disaster that struck Uttarakhand, particularly the

te ple to!n" #y R" RA$A%HANDRAN

THE primary trigger for the Uttarakhand disaster following the very heavy rain during June 16-18 was the extremely unusual ehaviour of the monsoon this year over north !ndia" The in#essant$ heavy rainfall over three days$ perhaps a##ompanied y a few #loud urst-type events %whi#h #annot e #onfirmed&$ resulted in flash floods and asso#iated landslides" The devastation all round in their wake has een huge ut the largest impa#t has een at the temple town of 'edarnath$ whi#h was in the midst of the annual pilgrimage season$ with tens of thousands of people thronging the town and the downstream region along the (andakini river %)i#ture 1&" *ainfall measurements for June 16 and 1+ at the ,ehradun station$ of --. millimetres and /+. mm respe#tively$ indi#ate the severity of the rain during these days in the region" Haridwar re#eived 1.+ mm and -18 mm of rainfall on the two days" Uttarkashi re#eived 1-- mm and -.+ mm" 0hile (ukteshwar %altitude over -$... metres& re#eived -/+ mm and 18/ mm respe#tively on June 1+ and 18$ 1ainital on the same days re#eived 1+6 mm and 1+. mm" Though rainfall over a -2-hour period in different parts of Uttarakhand has greatly ex#eeded these figures in the past %on many o##asions a ove 23.-3.. mm and on#e even 4.. mm at *a5pur near ,ehradun&$ prolonged heavy rainfall for nearly three days over a large area is perhaps unpre#edented$ and the #umulative effe#t$ #ompounded y geophysi#al$ meteorologi#al and environmental fa#tors$ may e the reason for the enormity of the disaster" (ore pertinently$ these num ers do not give the a#tual 6uantitative pi#ture of the very heavy rainfall in the higher rea#hes of the Himalayas %a ove /$... m& in Uttarakhand$ where 'edarnath$ 7angotri and 8adrinath are lo#ated and where the impa#t has een most severe" This is e#ause the rain gauge stations of the !ndia (eteorologi#al ,epartment %!(,& are all lo#ated largely in the lower Himalayan rea#hes % elow -$... m& and there are no stations in the higher rea#hes %a ove /... m&" This is pro a ly e#ause snowfall data is regarded as more important than detailed rainfall data in these regions" 9s a result$ there is no proper estimate of the rainfall in the affe#ted regions" Une&pected ad'ance 0hat was pe#uliar a out the monsoon this year: ;n June 12$ the monsoon front was lo#ated over eastern !ndia" !n fa#t it was a trifle sluggish #ompared with the normal progress of the front %(ap 1a&" 8ut within a day %(ap 1 &$ the front advan#ed right a#ross Uttar )radesh and the western regions to #over the entire #ountry y June 13$ exa#tly a month ahead of its normal date of July 13" 0hile the !(, had fore#ast a rapid advan#e with the announ#ement that the monsoon would strike ,elhi efore the normal s#heduled date of June /.$ its advan#e right a#ross to the west 5ust within a day was entirely unexpe#ted" This has never happened in the past$ a##ording to (" *a5eevan$ 9dviser in the (inistry of Earth <#ien#es %(oE<&" 9 system of westerly winds from the 9ra ian <ea had also een a#tive during the same period and had #overed )akistan" !t was a strong westerly system$ and *a5eevan noted that it was similar to the system that stayed an#hored over )akistan in July -.1. and #aused widespread flooding in <indh$ )un5a and 8alu#histan" ;f #ourse$ y July -.1. the south-west monsoon had #overed entire !ndia$ ut this time around the system had formed in June itself" !t was the intera#tion etween the well-formed low-pressure system of the south-west monsoon from east to west and the upper air westerly trough running from north-west *a5asthan to the east that resulted in the heavy rainfall over Uttarakhand" !n fa#t$ the westerly system dragged the monsoon trough$ whi#h was an#hored over *a5asthan and #entral !ndia until then$ towards the north a#ross Haryana" 9 monsoon trough fa#ilitates the movement of rainfall#ausing low-pressure systems along its path" !ts rapid movement northwards ena led the low-pressure system that was in the eastern part of the #ountry to 6ui#kly traverse and lo#ate itself over north-west !ndia" 9##ording to *a5eevan$ while the phenomenon of the monsoon trough eing dragged northwards y the advan#ing strong westerly trough is known to o##ur$ the exa#t dynami#s of intera#tion etween the two systems is not well studied" Thus$ as the press release of June -. of the !(, noted$ =1orth-west !ndia e#ame the >one of an unusual #onfluen#e of the two ran#hes of the monsoon?the 9ra ian <ea ran#h and the 8ay of 8engal ran#h" The geology and orography of @the Himalayan regionsA of Uttarakhand and Hima#hal )radesh resulted in the unpre#edented impa#t in these two <tates"B 0hile the !(, had issued warnings of widespread severe rainfall in the region soon after the o servation of the advan#ing monsoon systems$ the s#ale of impa#t #ould not e anti#ipated"

(eophysical dyna

ics

The pe#uliarity of the monsoon apart$ the other interesting 6uestion is what geophysi#al dynami#s #hannelled the ma5or part of devastation along the 'edarnath valley and downstream of 'edarnath on the (andakini" The region around 'edarnath is known to geologists to e prone to landslides" This is also #lear from an early 188- 7eologi#al <urvey of !ndia photograph of 'edarnath %)i#ture -&$ whi#h shows that the temple site is lo#ated not far away from the snouts of two mountain gla#iers" ,avid )etley$ an expert on landslides at the ,epartment of 7eography at ,urham University$ United 'ingdom$ has analysed the #alamitous event at 'edarnath on the asis of images from the remote-sensing satellites of the !ndian <pa#e *esear#h ;rganisation %!<*;& and the U"<" Candsat" He points out that the amount of de ris and ru le elow the gla#ier on the left side of the 188- pi#ture suggests that transportation of sediment and de ris from the upper rea#hes was a#tive even then$ and adds that the steep slope that is visi le would have aided rapid transportation" !t should e orne in mind that the geology is still roughly the same %)i#ture /&"

!t is evident from the post-event images of 'edarnath town around the temple that the massive destru#tion was the result of large-s#ale de ris #arried y the huge volume of water from the upper rea#hes a ove the town" ;ne of the #ompounding fa#tors was that the gla#ial regions a ove 'edarnath had re#eived fresh and ex#ess snowfall when heavy rainfall hit the region %)i#tures 2a D &$ a##ording to s#ientists of the 1ational *emote <ensing Eentre %1*<E& of !<*;" *ainwater$ with higher temperature$ falling on the snow must have led to heavy snow melt and this runoff would have added to the rainwater runoff$ resulting in a huge water flow that #arried with it a huge de ris flow$ whi#h stru#k the town with enormous fero#ity" The snow #over has$ in fa#t$ in#reased in general su se6uent to the extreme rainfall and flooding events %the satellite image on (ay -8FJune 1 shows less snow #over&" 9##ording to the 1*<E s#ientists$ the detailed dynami#s of water flow due to snow melt #aused y rain$ parti#ularly when snowfall is in ex#ess$ and the hydrology of it are not well understood" The 1*<E re#ently released ex#ellent high-resolution pre-flood and post-flood images of the 'edarnath region %)i#tures 3a D 3 & taken y !<*;Gs remote-sensing satellites Eartosat--9 and *esour#esat--" The 1*<E$ on the asis of remote-sensing images from *esour#esat--$ has #arried out an inventory of the landslides that o##urred etween 'edarnath and <onprayag$ a distan#e of approximately -. km on the (andakini" 9##ording to the preliminary report$ the study identified a total of 14- landslides in this Himalayan stret#h %)i#ture 6&" (any landslides were triggered in the gla#ial regions in the mountains a ove 'edarnath" The large-s#ale de ris flows from a ove were the result of these massive landslides

Dou)le !ha

9#tually$ for 'edarnath it was a dou le whammy" The massive damage #aused to 'edarnath town #an e seen #learly in the post-flood image" Just as there was an unusual #onfluen#e of two monsoon streams up in the atmosphere$ in the mountainous terrain around 'edarnath$ too$ there was a #oin#idental reinfor#ing of two massive de ris flows from a ove$ one from the northwestern side of the 'edarnath temple and the other from the north-eastern side" )etley has analysed these images to arrive at a plausi le s#enario as to what #aused the massive onslaught on the town$ virtually flattening it" This flow #as#aded further and #aused heavy damage downstream as well" The 1*<E s#ientists$ too$ in their analysis$ have #ome roughly to the same general #on#lusion" 9##ording to )etley$ the two different ut reinfor#ing events that #aused the disaster were landslide-indu#ed de ris that #ame from the gla#iated area in the north-east and a gla#ial-related flow that originated from the north-west gla#ier" Hrom the images$ one #an distin#tly identify the two flows" )etley$ from his analysis of the images$ %httpIFF logs"agu"orgFlandslide logF-.1/F.6F-+Fnewhigh-resolution-images-of-kedarnath-the-#ause -of-the-de ris-flow-disaster-is-now -#learF&$ has inferred the followingI 1" The flow from the north-east #ame down the margin of the gla#ier and spread out to strike the town" -" The north-west flow des#ended from the other gla#ier to hit the town" /" 0hile a large part of the flow from the north-west passed the town on its west side$ a part also stru#k it dire#tly" ;n the asis of the pattern of overlay of sediments and their nature$ )etley #on#ludes that the flow from the north-west o##urred after the one from the north-east" 9##ording to him$ the de ris flow from the north-east was triggered y a large$ +3 m wide$ landslide #aused y heavy rainfall high on the mountains$ whi#h then #ame down the steep slope a out 3.. m$ gathering the de ris in its path" The flow was initially #hannelled into a narrow gully formed y the gla#ier and on exiting it the flow spread out in the floodplains efore striking the town over a large area" The steepness of the slope would have given the de ris enormous velo#ity when it stru#k the town" The total length traversed y this de ris flow is estimated to e a out 1$-.. m" The event from the north-west was$ however$ 6uite different$ points out )etley" The spot marked 1 in )i#ture + is a moraine$ whi#h had #reated a lo#k for a asin to form$ allowing the water to uild up in it as a pool or a lake" This is what the lo#al people #all the Ehora ari Tal$ to whi#h$ in fa#t$ pilgrims trek a few kilometres along the west side of the valley to have a dip" The Ehora ari gla#ier has een retreating #onstantly in modern times$ and a##ording to ,")" ,o hal of the 0adia !nstitute of Himalayan 7eology$ it has retreated a out /.. m sin#e 146."
=The effe#t of the retreat is to leave a moraine that #an allow lakes to form$ whi#h #an then #ollapse$B pointed out )etley in an e-mail message to Frontline" =!n 'edarnath$ this is exa#tly what happened" ! am not sure when the lake

asin formed?it may not have een in modern times? ut this is a dangerous situation" ;f e6ual #on#ern is the trend towards more intense rainfall$ espe#ially if this o##urs early in the year %that is$ during snowmelt&$B )etley added" Wall of !ater Eyewitness a##ounts say a huge wall of water swept the 'edarnath town in a flash" The spot marked - shows that the moraine had een rea#hed y the rapidly uilding up water e#ause of heavy rainfall and the water overtopping the moraine wall" The rea#h led to the sudden release of the impounded water and resulted in a massive wall of water sweeping a#ross the 'edarnath valley and the town and #ausing a huge flash flood" 9##ording to the 1*<E s#ientists$ this lake would have had a depth of a out 13 m$ and the event was not exa#tly a gla#ial lake out urst flood %7C;H&$ whi#h o##urs when a dam or moraine wall is rea#hed e#ause of the sheer pressure exerted y the stagnant gla#ial water and i#e that it en#loses" This was a #ase of lake flooding e#ause of ex#essive rainfall and #onse6uent overtopping of the moraine wall$ whi#h eventually rea#hed" The flow was so huge and for#eful that it overtopped the moraine on the other side of the gla#ier as well$ at the spot marked /$ resulting in three flowsI one moving south-east to 5oin the earlier de ris flow from the north-east and enhan#ing it efore turning southwards and striking the town" The third flow is a new #hannel that opened up$ perhaps exploiting an existing old #hannel$ e#ause of the rea#h at spot /" Heading down the slope towards the town at great velo#ity$ it gathered sediment and de ris en route and resulted in a mu#h-widened flow #loser to 'edarnath" However$ the ulk of the de ris flow$ as )i#ture + shows$ moved southwards towards the town down the main #hannel on the south-western side$ whi#h is the normal #hannel for gla#ial water flow" The spot marked 2 shows heavy erosion due to the flow in the area$ suggesting that the flow must have #arried a huge volume of water" 9##ording to )etley$ this flow must have #arried the many huge oulders and ro#ks seen in the post-flood image of the temple town" Eloser to the town$ the flow spread efore striking" 9s a result$ the de ris and water flow moved to the east side of the town as well$ engulfing the town from oth sides" 9##ording to this pi#ture supplied y )etley$ whi#h others too are in general agreement with$ 'edarnath was first pounded y an earlier de ris flow from the north-east$ then a later pounding y the flow from the north-west" )etley suggests that the latter flow must have een more effi#ient e#ause of the pre#eding events and also e#ause it stru#k the town from oth the west and the east simultaneously" The image also shows a dark pat#h 5ust a ove 'edarnath on the north-eastern side %to the right of the spot marked 3& suggesting the formation of a new depression$ whi#h #ould have turned into a small-si>ed lake e#ause of the heavy rainfall" !t is also possi le that water uilt up in this new depression$ whi#h would have een su stantial$ overtopped it and hit the town from the eastern side$ enhan#ing the effe#t of the runoff and de ris flow from the north-eastern side$ an aspe#t that )etley has not #onsidered" ,ownstream of 'edarnath$ the flow remained #ontained within the #hannel" 9s a result$ there was massive erosion of the anks of the (andakini %)i#tures 8 a D &" Hurther$ smaller villages downstream were also severely damaged$ and some of them$ su#h as *am ara$ were totally destroyed %)i#tures 4 a D &" The damage #aused to the 'edarnath region and downstream villages y the natural destru#tion resulting from unusual meteorologi#al and geophysi#al pro#esses was undou tedly greatly enhan#ed e#ause of the general environmental degradation #aused y the massive and unregulated influx of pilgrims year after year$ the hapha>ard development fuelled y tourist traffi#$ and the unplanned and poor #onstru#tion of uildings and roads" 7iven the vulnera ility of the region$ the town itself has #ome up in a very dangerous lo#ation$ points out )etley" Therefore$ how mu#h of the destru#tion in this event was a#tually man-made is a moot 6uestion" 8esides the #hallenges of disaster management on su#h a massive s#ale$ the Uttarakhand floods have also thrown up a lot of s#ientifi# #hallenges in the detailed understanding of monsoon dynami#s as well as in the geophysi#al pro#esses of landslides and large-s#ale de ris flow and the heavy damage they #an infli#t on life$ property and the e#ology of a region"

Exclusive: NASA satellite images show new stream in Kedarnath after disaster
RAJU GUSAIN | MAIL TODAY | DEHRADUN, JUNE 29, 2013 | UPDATED 08:52 IST

New satellite images of Kedarnath clearly indicate the devastation which has taken place there. The images, taken by US based NASA's andsat ! satellite on "# $%ne "&'#, when compared with old National (emote Sensing )entre *N(S)+ images provided by the Uttarakhand Space Application )entre, show the scope of damage in the ,andakani valley. Cloudburst to calamity

The 'edarnath valley is seismi#ally and e#ologi#ally very sensitive and fragile" ;n 16th night and 1+th June morning two ma5or #loud ursts hit the valley #ausing mass damage to property and human lives" )re and post

event satellite image shows the mass damage to property and other infrastru#ture"

The comparison images also highlight that in the past one stream %sed to flow in the backgro%nd of Kedarnath shrine, which %sed to form two after coming down. New image shows the birth of a new third stream. The channel of the stream too has become broad after the disaster. Uttarakhand Speaker says '&,&&& dead, Shinde says -&&

The report re5e#ts the theory of gla#ier reaking and also the role of 8asuka lake in the destru#tion" The do#ument #laims that the Ehaura ari and Eompanion gla#iers are inta#t ut one middle moraine de ris was

washed away y heavy flow of water in the stream"

,aking another striking observation the report states, ./ighty percent of the '0 km pedestrian ro%te from 1a%rik%nd to Kedarnath was damaged in the disaster..

)re and post satellite data proves that the 7andhi <arovar %also #alled Ehaura ari lake& is seasonal in nature" The water level of the lake in#reased at a dangerous level due to #ontinuous rain$ triggering the stream and lakes to overflow y saturating the moraines" The report states$ J9nte#edent rainfall saturated the area and suddenly ex#eeds the limit on 16th and 1+th June whi#h is one of the reasons for the a#tivation of landslide and flash flood in the region that has #aused huge

damage to lives and property in the (andakani valley"J Ban free flow of tourists to avoid disaster? 2ost event satellite image shows (ambara, where ma3im%m cas%alties took place, disappearing from the map. 4mage shows clear signs of heavy landslide taking place there. (ambara was located 5 kms from 1a%rik%nd, and the pilgrims visiting Kedarnath %sed to takea pit stop there.

(aking an o servation a out the high velo#ity of de ris whi#h #reated widespread damage$ the report marks the high gradient slope from 'edarnath to *ama ara and 7aurikund whi#h has led to #olossal damage to

infrastru#ture$ lives and property in the downstream"

The new satellite image of 7aurikund also exhi itKs the fury of the swollen (andakani"

Read more at: htt :!!"#d"atoda$%"#toda$%"#!&tor$!e'()*&"+e,#a&a,&ate))"te,"ma-e&,&ho.,#e.,&tream,"#,/edar#ath,a0ter, d"&a&ter!1!281019%htm)

22 JUNE 2013

1ew high resolution images of 'edarnath L the #ause of the de ris flow disaster is now #lear
Posted by dr-dave
74

The I#d"a# Nat"o#a) Remote Se#&"#- 3e#tre ha& re)ea&ed a #e. &et o0 "ma-e& o0 the 4edar#ath area, (o))e(ted *&"#the RISAT,1 "#&tr*me#t% The&e are +er$ h"-h 5*a)"t$ "ma-e& that a))o. a ro er a#a)$&"& o0 the e+e#t& that (a*&ed the d"&a&ter% The&e (a# 6e +"e.ed "# the"r e'(e))e#t 7IS &$&tem, 8h*+a#% I# a o&t t.o da$& a-o I &*--e&ted that the d"&a&ter m"-ht ha+e 6ee# (a*&ed 6$ t.o d"00ere#t e+e#t&, 0"r&t a )a#d&)"de "#d*(ed de6r"& 0rom that (ame 0rom the area o0 the -)a("er to the #orthea&t9 &e(o#d a -)a("a),re)ated 0)o. that (ame 0rom the -)a("er to the #orthea&t% I# th"& o&t I am -o"#- to ta/e a )oo/ at ea(h o0 the&e% Ho.e+er, I:)) &tart ."th a# "ma-e o0 the to.# "t&e)0% Note that a)) o0 the "ma-e& &ho.# here are ta/e# 0rom the 8h*+a# &$&tem% Th"& "& the to.#, &ho."#- the 0)o.& that ha+e (ome 0rom the #orth:

%% The +er$ h"-h )e+e) o0 dama-e to the to.# "& ()ear)$ e+"de#t% A)&o ()ear "& the t.o 0)o.&: 1. To the #orth,ea&t, a 0)o. that ha& (ome do.# the mar-"# o0 the -)a("er ;the )ar-e dar/ -re$ ma&& at the to o0 the "ma-e< a#d the# & read o*t to h"t the to.#% 2. To the #orth,.e&t, a 0)o. that ha& (ome 0rom the other -)a("er to &tr"/e the to.#% Note that m*(h o0 th"& 0)o. ha& a&&ed to the .e&t o0 the to.#, 6*t "t "& a)&o ()ear that a ort"o# &tr*(/ "t d"re(t)$% =$ "#ter retat"o# "& the that the 0)o. 0rom the #orth.e&t o((*rred a0ter the o#e 0rom the #orth,ea&t, 6a&ed o# the >*'ta o&"t"o# o0 the &ed"me#t&% I:)) #o. ta/e a )oo/ at the &o*r(e o0 the 0)o. to the #orthea&t% U &tream the area )oo/& )"/e th"&:

%%

?hat "& ()ear 0rom th"& h"-h re&o)*t"o# "ma-e "& that the de6r"& 0)o. here .a& "#"t"ated 6$ a )a#d&)"de h"-h o# the h"))&"de, .h"(h the# ra# do.# the &)o e e#tra"#"#- de6r"& e# ro*te% At the &)o e toe "t .a& (ha##e)"@ed 6$ the -)a("er "#to a #arro. -*))$% It "& ()ear that the 0)o. eroded o*t a )ar-e amo*#t o0 mater"a) "& th"& area% U o# e'"t"#- the (ha##e) "t & read o*t a(ro&& the 0)ood )a"# 6e0ore &tr"/"#- the to.#% Ro*-h arameter& 0rom 7oo-)e Earth &*--e&t a he"-ht d"00ere#(e 0rom the (ro.# o0 the )a#d&)"de to the (ha##e) 6e)o. o0 a6o*t 500 metre&, a#d a )e#-th o0 a6o*t 1200 metre&% The &(ar ."dth "& a6o*t 25 m, I th"#/, &o th"& "& a )ar-e )a#d&)"de% The area do.#&)o e o0 the 0a")*re .a& a)read$ a @o#e o0 a(t"+e ero&"o#, &o the )"/e)"hood o0 e#tra"#me#t .a& +er$ h"-h% The &e(o#d e+e#t, .h"(h (ame 0rom the -)a("a) area to the #orth.e&t, "& +er$ d"00ere#t% Th"& .a& the area o0 -reate&t *#(erta"#t$, 6*t the "ma-e& te)) *& e'a(t)$ .hat ha e#ed% Th"& "& the &o*r(e area o0 the de6r"& 0)o.:

%% The /e$ area here "& the &o*r(e @o#e, &o I:+e e#)ar-ed a#d a##otated th"& 6e)o.:

%% Th"& "& m$ "#ter retat"o# o0 .hat ha e#ed "# th"& (a&e A the 6*))et #*m6er& re0er to the #*m6er& o# the "ma-e a6o+e: 1. I# th"& area 0re&h, m*dd$ &ed"me#t (a# 6e &ee#% Th"& &*--e&t to me that the mora"#e had (reated a 6)o(/ed 6a&"# "# th"& area, a))o."#- .ater to 6*")d * "# a oo)% 2. E+e#t*a))$ th"& oo) o+erto ed the mora"#e 6arr"er A the &"te o0 the 6rea(h (a# 6e &ee# at 2% B#(e o+erto "#- o0 the 6arr"er o((*rred, "t (ata&tro h"(a))$ 6rea(hed% Th"& -e#erated a +er$ ra "d re)ea&e o0 the "m o*#ded .ater% 3. The 0)o. .a& &o )ar-e that "t o+er,to ed the mora"#e o# the other &"de o0 the -)a("a) area, &*(h that three 0)o.& .ere 0ormed% B#e .e#t &o*th.e&t to >o"# the +a))e$ 0rom the ear)"er de6r"& 0)o. 6e0ore &."#-"#- to the &o*th to &tr"/e the to.#% Th"& e' )o"ted a# e'"&t"#- (ha##e)% The &e(o#d .a& a m*(h &ma))er 0)o. that reo((* "ed a# a)aeo,(ha##e)% The +o)*me o0 .ater a#d &ed"me#t that e#tered th"& (ha##e) .a& &ma)), 6*t #ote that "t a ear& to ha+e e#tra"#ed de6r"& e# ro*te ;the (ha##e) ."de#& do.#&)o e<%

4. =o&t o0 the de6r"& 0)o. tra+e)ed &o*th do.# the ma"# (ha##e)% The 0)o. m*&t ha+e 6ee# h*-e a& there "&
+er$ &*6&ta#t"a) ero&"o# "# the area o0 C% Th"& "& the &o*r(e o0 ma#$ o0 the 6o*)der& #o. &ee# "# the to.#% The 0)o. tra+e)ed &o*th.ard&, e+e#t*a))$ &tart"#- to & read a#d de o&"t &ed"me#t& 6e0ore &tr"/"#- the to.#% 5. Th*&, "t "& ()ear that 4edar#ath .a& &tr*(/ 6$ a# ear)"er 0rom 0rom the #orthea&t, the# a )ater 0)o. 0rom the #orth.e&t% The )atter .a& h"-h)$ e00"("e#t, "# art 6e(a*&e o0 the ear)"er e+e#t& a#d "# art 6e(a*&e the 0)o. &tr*(/ the to.# 0rom t.o d"re(t"o#& &"m*)ta#eo*&)$% It "& a)&o .orth #ot"#- .hat ha e#ed 6e)o. 4edar#ath% Do.#&tream o0 the to.#, the 0)o. .a& (o#ta"#ed ."th"# the (ha##e)% A& a re&*)t there .a& ma&&"+e ero&"o# o0 the r"+er6a#/&, a& &ee# "# the "ma-e 6e)o.:

%% 3om are th"& ."th the "ma-e ;a)&o 0rom 8h*+a#< 0rom 6e0ore the d"&a&ter:

%% A)tho*-h the 0o(*& ha& 6ee# o# 4edar#ath, do.#&tream &ome o0 the &ma))er +"))a-e& ha+e 6ee# *tter)$ de&tro$ed 6$ th"& e+e#t% Th"& "& the +"))a-e o0 Ram6ara 6e0ore the de6r"& 0)o.:

%% A#d th"& "& ho. "t )oo/ed a0ter.ard&:

%% There "& #oth"#- )e0t o0 the +"))a-e%

Po&ted "#: )a#d&)"de re ort2 3omme#t&!Tra(/6a(/& D

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- Eomments

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Kept Hanging From Kedarnath Temple ell For ! Hours "n #ater$

Dehradun, Jun 24 (PTI): For 36-year-old Tehri resident Vijender in!h "e!i, han!in! #ro$ the %edarnath te$&le 'ell (hile standin! o)er #loatin! *or&ses in ne*+-dee& (ater #or nine strai!ht hours, &ro)ed a li#e sa)iour, "e!i-s 'rother-in-la( .an!a in!h /handari, a Delhi-'ased tra)el o&erator, said seein! hi$ return ali)e (as nothin! short o# a $ira*le, 01e stood han!in! #ro$ the te$&le 'ell #ro$ 2 a$ to 4 &$, the day a#ter the disaster stru*+, 1e stood on *or&ses to 'alan*e hi$sel#, 1is *lothes had 'een torn to &ie*es 'y the (ater-s #ury 'ut he so$eho( (ithstood the #or*e ho&in! to *o$e out ali)e,3 /handari said, /handari-s hotel lo*ated ri!ht 'eside the %edarnath Te$&le !ot (ashed a(ay in the torrent in #ront o# "e!i-s eyes, e)en as he ju$&ed out o# the 'uildin!, 04y 'rother-in-la( ("e!i) ju$&ed o## #ro$ the roo# o# our three-storeyed hotel into the (ater, 'e#ore #indin! shelter in the te$&le, 1e sa( hundreds o# *or&ses #loatin! inside,3 /handari said, 31e has 'i! ul*ers on his hands #ro$ holdin! on to the 'ell #or a'out nine hours, (hi*h (as e5*ru*iatin!, 6s his *lothes (ere torn to &ie*es, he too+ *lothes #ro$ the 'odies around hi$ to shield hi$sel#, The thou!ht o# it still sends shi)ers do(n his s&ine, 6#ter the le)el (ent do(n, he *li$'ed out o# the (aters and lay in the jun!le #or t(o days 'e#ore the ar$y heli*o&ters res*ued hi$,3 /handari said