We watched our lodge being washed, say survivors

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Vijayawada: Y. Prabhakara Rao’s family members feel that they are the luckiest people on earth, as the lodge in which they staying at Uttarakasi, got washed away within minutes of them stepping out and running for safety.
Rao, his wife Geeta Bharati and their son Y.V. Kowsik from Kavali, in Nellore district, reached Vijayawada on Sunday morning in Char Dham pilgrims’ special train. With the harrowing experiences still reflecting in their eyes, Bharati said that when the floods started, they were alerted by the lodge owner and they ran for safety to a school on a hill. Within minutes after their coming out of the lodge, Akash Ganga, the building was washed away. They were forced to take shelter in the school for three days without food and water.
Rao’s case is not unique. Several others who reached Vijayawada on Sunday had similar chilling experiences. K. Srinivasa Reddy and Sarada of Nellore said that they got struck in a bus for three days, near Uttarakasi. Two villages were washed away while they stood mute witness to the fury of the floods.
Pilgrims U. Sambasiva Rao and Brahmaramba of Malkipuram, in East Godavari, said that they were forced to stay back in their bus for five days, two km away from Uttarakasi, without food and water.G. Srinivas of Vijayawada said that he and his companions got stuck for three days near Gupta Kasi.
The Char Dham special train was scheduled to reach Vijayawada at 4.30 am, but pulled in at 6 a.m. The railway authorities and Satya Sai Seva Samiti volunteers supplied food and biscuits to the pilgrims. The railway officials arranged for special coaches for those proceeding towards Nellore.