Mud in lungs, stones in throats, minds in pieces: Uttarkashi cloudburst leaves rescuers, villagers in trauma; thrown 150m by sludge

DEHRADUN: Mud in their lungs. Ribs smashed into them. Stones in their throats. Bones broken. Minds in pieces. As rescue operations continue in Dharali and Harsil, at least a dozen injured - including villagers and Army personnel who were part of the second line of response - are battling trauma in hospitals across Uttarakhand.Among the cases referred to higher centres in Dehradun is that of a Lieutenant Colonel undergoing treatment at the Military Hospital for fractures in his left leg and blunt force injuries. Another patient remains critical at AIIMS Rishikesh with pneumothorax - a life-threatening condition where broken ribs pierce the lungs, leaking air into the chest cavity. Many of those admitted were part of rescue teams when they got swept away in the sludge - thrown nearly 150 metres by a raging mix of water, stones, and silt. "Most have blunt injuries - some to the chest, some on the head, others on the legs," confirmed doctors at AIIMS and Uttarkashi.In some cases, doctors in Uttarkashi were shocked to pull out sand and tiny stones from deep inside patients' tracts, lungs, and wounds. "All the patients here are stable now," said Dr Prem Pokhriyal, PMS of Uttarkashi district hospital. "During their surgeries, we extracted mud, pebbles, and silt from their injuries."A patient, Amardeep from Amritsar, a road construction worker who has been working in Uttarakhand's upper reaches for the past four years, said, "We were walking from Harsil to Dharali in the second group of the rescue team as the roads were blocked. Suddenly, there was a cloudburst. We were nearly 20 in the group. The water just swept us... We had no control over the situation." Dr Priya Tyagi, a psychiatrist on the treatment team in Uttarkashi district, said, "They are under immense mental stress. The disaster has shaken them, which is common in such large-scale calamities. Some haven't even processed what happened. They're fearful, sad, and confused - but are slowly coping as days pass." Health secretary Dr Rajesh Kumar told TOI on Thursday: "Thirteen people were admitted, and five were referred to Dehradun - three to AIIMS and two to the Military Hospital. One remains critical; others are stable."Kumar added, "Teams of specialist doctors and paramedics have been deployed at four strategic points - Dharali, Harsil, Matli, and Uttarkashi. A total of 300 beds, 45 ambulances, and five mortuary vans are ready to aid the medical response."