Ghanvi (Rampur), August 15
After toiling hard for all day today, rescue workers could extricate only five bodies from the mountain of debris brought down by the cloudburst which buried the sleepy village of Bhavi, near Ghanvi.

The lack of earth moving machinery has been hampering rescue operations as huge boulders can not be moved manually using picks and shovels. Relief and rescue operations started in the right earnest only this morning, almost 16 hours after flash floods ravaged the village.

As all link roads to the village were blocked by landslides, DC Tarun Kapoor, SP A.P. Singh and rescue teams reached the village after more than two hours of trekking. About 200 jawans of the army ITBP, SSB, CISF, home guards and police have been engaged in rescue operations.

All efforts to open the 12-km stretch of road from Juri to Bhavi failed as the road was blocked by landslides at 18 places. Subdivisional Magistrate D.K. Rattan said the road was likely to be cleared by tomorrow.

Lack of earth-moving machinery has been hampering rescue operations as huge boulders can’t be moved manually using picks and shovels

Apart from the five bodies recovered, the identity of 28 more missing persons has been established. However, there was no definite information about labourers engaged by private contractors in executing the Ghanvi (stage-I project) and those living in rented accommodations.

Some schoolchildren belonging to far-off villages who had rented rooms here, were also washed away. The final figure of the death toll may be available over the next two days.

Out of the total 18 houses, all but two, perished in the floods.

Dharla village located uphill from where the deluge descended has been rendered unsafe due to the landslide. The administration has shifted 14 families to the local school. Blankets, tarpauline and foodgrains have been provided to the affected families.

An immediate relief was given to the affected persons. The next of kin of those killed will be given Rs 1 lakh and those whose houses were destroyed will get Rs 50,000 each. There are 28 women and girls among the deceased and those missing. Villagers said 10 girls were also washed away. The family of two drivers and a welder of Himalaya Company were also buried.

The administration was able to restore power and water supply by the evening. The five persons whose bodies had been identified include Teju Ram and his wife (Mandi), Lata Kumari of Ganvi village, Kala Devi, a beldar of IPH Department and Jayoti Bala.

Three of the five bodies were cremated, while the bodies of Teju Ram and his wife were taken by their relatives.

Some portions of the village were under 15 to 20 ft of muck and it may not be possible to rehabilitate the uprooted families at some places. The administration will have to look for alternate sites to re-establish the village which will become prone to flash floods after the cloudburst.