'We are back from the jaws of death'

A group of tourists, who have just come back from deluge-hit regions of Uttarakhand, on Friday recounted tales of horror from their unforgettable trip.

"An entire road on which our vehicle was travelling caved in due to pressure of the gushing flood waters," recounts a woman tourist from Pune who survived the Uttarakhand deluge.

Nearly 35 tourists from the city, stranded in the aftermath of the Uttarakhand disaster, recalled the terrible cloudburst that turned their pilgrimage to Kedarnath into a nightmare.

Nearly 200 tourists from Pune and surrounding areas are still stranded in that state.

A woman tourist, who went on a pilgrimage to Uttarakhand, said, "We are back from the jaws of death. An entire road on which our vehicle was travelling caved in due to pressure of the gushing flood waters."

The group, which landed in Pune safely on Thursday by a plane, had been caught in the cloudburst and resultant nature's fury on its return journey after their "darshan" of Kedarnath.

They were left stranded for two days in Chamoli district where there was no electricity.

"The locals extended all possible help and when the weather partially improved, we managed to hire a cab to reach Delhi and catch a flight to Pune," said a group member, reliving memories of the unprecedented devastation they saw during their trip through the deluge-ravaged state.
 
District officials at the disaster management cell said the list of tourists from Pune and adjoining areas was being updated but it was proving to be a difficult task as they comprised private groups and those travelling with various travel companies.