Rocky terrain is their path to safety

It was 9 in the morning. The drizzle turned into a heavy shower. As thick clouds started wrapping around the Himalayan range, fear of more cloudbursts and resultant landslides grew heavier among the hill residents. It would make life more vulnerable in the coming days.

Bulldozers were unable to clear the giant rocks that blocked the road leading to Chunghthang from Mangan, which is about 90 km from the State capital Gangtok, due to landslide. Personnel of General Reserve Engineering Force and Army have been engaged in the gargantuan task of moving the rocks in the last two days.

The road near Tung, located about 15 km from Mangan, could be finally cleared for vehicular movement. Chungthang is another 15 km from Tung. After Tung, the road itself has disappeared as it has slid down the steep hill.

People were stranded on both sides of the landslide area – waiting for nod from the army personnel to cross the site. The moment the permission was granted, they simply jumped over the rocks and passed through the site.

One among the crowd was on barefoot. He was coming from the Chungthang-end and hurriedly crossed over the boulders to reach the other side and wait for his friends. Fear was writ large on his face while he was panting for breath.

When asked about the situation in Chungthang area, he started crying with folded hands. “Please don't ask me anything about Chungthang. By the grace of the gods, I am alive today,” he muttered.

He was Bishnudhari Das – a contract labourer of Navayuga Engineering Company (NEC) at Chungthang. On the day of the quake, he was present at the project site and had to run for his life after seeing some of his colleagues getting crushed under buildings that came down like a pack of cards.

Bishnudhari did not care to put on his shoes for the long trek through dense forests and rocky terrain: “My house was flattened and I had no option but to leave behind all my belongings. I just ran for my life without thinking about wearing shoes.”

Another NEC worker, Bikas, was seen struggling to trek along with his wife Nirmala and their four-year-old son. They spent two sleepless nights under the open sky since Sunday and finally could muster courage for the long and arduous trek.

“We had to cross a turbulent river by holding on to a rope. The forest path was full of leeches. We just want to reach home safely,” said Nirmala who could not fight back her tears while recounting the family's plight.

It was the same scenario everywhere – fear looming large and people running for life. . Group of workers of Himurja Infra Pvt. Ltd were seen fleeing towards Mangan from Chungthang.

Kuldeep Singh, a Subedar of GREF, narrated the tale of 22 lucky passengers of an ill-fated bus that remained stuck under rubble for two days before they were finally rescued.

Life is very precious here. When I opened my hotel window at Mangan this morning, the majestic view of the Kanchenjangha's snowy peak mesmerised me. But the day's haunting experiences have once again taught me that nothing could be more beautiful on the earth than life itself – the Kanchenjangha appears to be a mute spectator amidst the human misery.

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