papa-we-won-t-survive-nepal-couple-recalls-son-s-final-call

A heartbreaking story has emerged from the recent cloudburst in Uttarakhand’s Dharali area in Uttarkashi, where a Nepalese couple, the sole survivors from their group, recalled their last two-minute phone call with their son, who went missing soon after.

 

The couple, Kali Devi and her husband Vijay Singh, had been working as labourers in the Harsil Valley. On Tuesday, after competing their tasks, they left the site around noon to head to Bhatwari. Just over an hour later, disaster struck.

 

A cloudburst triggered flash floods and landslides in the Dharali area. The group of 26 labourers from Nepal, working on road and bridge construction in the region, suddenly went not reachable. Only Kali Devi and Vijay Singh had left the valley in time. Their son, one of the workers, stayed behind.

 

Vijay Singh, speaking from the Bhatwari helipad, said he received a final two-minute call from his son just before communication was lost.

“He said, ‘Papa, we will not survive. There is a lot of water in the drain,” said visibly shaken and helpless Vijay, recalling his final conversation with his son.

 

Kali Devi said they had walked till Gangawadi,  the path leading back to Harsil Valley, but were unable to continue as the bridge over the Bhagirathi river, built by the Border Roads Organisation, had been washed away.

 

“When we left the valley, we never thought that such a disaster would hit the region. Had I known about the impending floods, I would not have left my children behind,” she said, her voice filled with grief.

 

Also read: Nepal urges India to trace workers missing in flood

 

She has appealed to the government to help them return to Harsil. “We will find our children ourselves,” she said with quiet determination.

 

The disaster also affected many others in the valley, including Army personnel. According to an official statement, nine Army men, one junior commissioned officer and eight jawans, are missing.

 

So far, five bodies have been recovered, and around 70 people have been rescued. However, more than 50 remain unaccounted for. Search and rescue efforts are still underway.