An S-I in Kedar valley rang the first alarm bells

This bridge is used by those who travel to Kedarnath by foot

At 5.30 am on June 16,Sub-Inspector Hemendra Singh Rawat got information that some mule owners had got trapped in the water in Kedar valley. As Rawat rushed there with help,he noted with surprise the astonishing rise in the waters level in Mandakini river. Hours later,his walkie-talkie crackled with news that the river had swept away a few vehicles in nearby Gaurikund.

These were the first signs of the disaster that awaited Uttarakhand,says the 36-year-old,now back in Dehradun. As the waters struck with full fury and communication networks snapped,it was Rawat as in-charge of the Gaurikund police outpost in Kedar valley,wielding a wireless set,who would emerge as the states,and the countrys,main source of information on what was happening at ground zero.

Early on June 16,I got information that some mule owners were trapped in the flood near the ghoda padav mule stand. I,along with five constables,rushed to the spot carrying ropes and other equipment to get them out, Rawat says,sitting at the Uttarakhand Police headquarters.

They had to walk to the mule stand,located in the hills. While all the 35 mule owners were rescued,Rawats attention was caught by the fact that the river Mandakini was swelling with so much water that it had started flowing overnight in two streams.

Around 11.30 am,while they were still rescuing the mule owners,Rawat received the SOS from Gaurikunda on his walkie-talkie. He rushed to the spot,which used to be a vehicle parking lot,but though it was just 1 km away,it proved a 20-minute trek on foot.

Soon,bad news was coming in from everywhere. Accompanied by five constables,he attended to calls of the protection wall holding the river back collapsing,of banks eroding. Four-five vehicles were swept away after the collapse of the protection wall, Rawat says. While they were able to retrieve some of the vehicles,the water showed no signs of receding.

Fearing that the situation was getting out of control,around 2 pm,Rawat started issuing warnings from the public address system at the police outpost. I urged people to leave the area and go towards Rampur,Sitapur. I also informed the district control room about the danger in my area,and told them to stop the movement towards Gaurikunda from Soneprayag, he said.

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Some hotel owners scoffed at the idea that the river could engulf their buildings,including,Rawat recalled,the owner of Bharat Sewa Ashram. His plea was that there was a strong foundation supporting the building, he said,even as those living there left. The ashrams building finally went under.

Around 2.30 pm,he got information that Bhimbali bridge,the only link between Kedarnath-Rambada and Gaurikunda,had collapsed. This bridge is used by those who travel to Kedarnath by foot.

With road links collapsing,pilgrims and locals started gathering on the premises of the police outpost. Rawat and his colleagues spent the night there. The officer arranged for many to stay in hospitals and schools at Gaurikunda.

The morning of June 17 brought more alarming news. The bridge over Soneganga river linking Gaurikunda to Guptakashi had also collapsed. The pilgrims present near Soneprayag were trapped there. Rawat was asked to go to the Soneprayag area by the control room to explore the possibility of an alternative route for the pilgrims.

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Soneganga is a tributary of the Mandakini. We found a big branch of an uprooted tree and used it for crossing the river. A good number of people crossed over, Rawat said.

Back at the Gaurikunda outpost,his men were making a helipad so that choppers could land for air rescue. Rawat would make his way back there on the afternoon of June 18,on a private helicopter.

For the next 10 days,as Kedarnath was evacuated of all its standed pilgrims,he would stay at his post. It was on Saturday that Rawat flew to Dehradun.