Uttarakhand: 65-yr-old survivor’s story offers hope

“He said he had come to Kedarnath for the yatra and was swept away by the flash floods. When he regained consciousness,he found himself alone and kept walking,seeking help from locals when he could. He said he did not meet any rescue personnel,” said a police officer.

“We have no idea what he ate,or how he survived. It is nothing short of a miracle. We took him for a medical examination,and then sent him to Rishikesh,” added another official.

For the locals as well as those who have trekked here to inquire about their relatives,the survival story has offered new hope. “We heard about this man from the tea vendor near the police station,and immediately rushed here to check all the missing persons’ reports again,” said Ram Singh from Pauri district whose brother has been missing since June 16.