I was in Uttarkashi when the monsoon rains came a few weeks ago. They came and came and came. It rained for almost 2 days straight. Around midnight an emergency vehicle drove by with a loud speaker on making announcements but my Hindi was not good enough to figure out what they said. (Found out later that they were announcing that a huge landslide cut of access to the hydroelectric plant which supplies the town's electricity and water). We lost power for 40 hours. We had no internet or phone service so I didn't realize how bad the situation really was. I went for a walk after the rain and saw that one of the two bridges that span the Ganges River that flows through the middle of town had been swept away. (It may be hard to see in this picture but the bridge one extends half way across the river now).
I looked further down the river and saw that buildings had also been swept away. One example is here.
Tens of thousands of people were stranded because of huge landslides blocking roads(many of them domestic tourist visiting holy sites in the mountains). Thousands were missing. Hundreds dead. Many people needed medical attention and food and water. The entire village of Kedranath (a holy site) was completely destroyed. I hear helicopters flying over head from sun up to sun down every day evacuating people higher in the mountains.
Getting accurate information and numbers is difficult, but wikipedia states, "As of 29 June 2013, more than 1,000 people have died with many more missing.[1] Damage to bridges and roads left over 70,000 pilgrims and tourists trapped in various places,[3][4][5] of whom, many were rescued.[6][7] As of 23 June 2013, about 22,000 people are said to be still stranded.[8][7] The Indian Air Force, the Army and paramilitary troops have evacuated more than 1,00,000 people from the flood hit area.[9] Although Utarakhand Assembly Speaker, based on various ground reports said that the death toll could cross 10,000,[10] the official death toll in Uttarakhand (by 29 June 2013) was 842.[11]"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_North_India_floods
I looked further down the river and saw that buildings had also been swept away. One example is here.
Tens of thousands of people were stranded because of huge landslides blocking roads(many of them domestic tourist visiting holy sites in the mountains). Thousands were missing. Hundreds dead. Many people needed medical attention and food and water. The entire village of Kedranath (a holy site) was completely destroyed. I hear helicopters flying over head from sun up to sun down every day evacuating people higher in the mountains.
Getting accurate information and numbers is difficult, but wikipedia states, "As of 29 June 2013, more than 1,000 people have died with many more missing.[1] Damage to bridges and roads left over 70,000 pilgrims and tourists trapped in various places,[3][4][5] of whom, many were rescued.[6][7] As of 23 June 2013, about 22,000 people are said to be still stranded.[8][7] The Indian Air Force, the Army and paramilitary troops have evacuated more than 1,00,000 people from the flood hit area.[9] Although Utarakhand Assembly Speaker, based on various ground reports said that the death toll could cross 10,000,[10] the official death toll in Uttarakhand (by 29 June 2013) was 842.[11]"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_North_India_floods
