I was at Ghangaria that day and was to visit Hemkund Sahib the next day. The news trickled in around 1630pm. As per eye witnesses, the glacier enroute gave way and people who were crossing the area below were wiped off including a pony guy. nobody knew the number of casuality. the entire community staying at the Gurudwara(Ghangaria) swung into action. Around 1000 people went there, cleared the road and brought the people who were stranded. Then the wounded were brought in by bittus(Carried on baskets in the back)to the Gurudwara. The Gurudwara seems to have brought in the dead only in the night. It was raining in the night. It was a pathetic sight since the town is so small, didnot have a hospital, any specialist doctor or electricity. No police were in sight and there were only few home guards. there was absolute chaos. I saw the ITBP (from Joshimath) on its way the next day, could not have reached the sight before twelve. I heard that a total of 18 were affected(8 dead, 5 missing, 5 seriously injured). The route was closed for three days and i returned back. The Disaster Mgmt was pathetic. The Sikh pilgrims from the Gurudwara did almost all the rescue alongwith locals. The Gurudwara as well as local administration were inequipped since such a avalanche has not happened in the last ten years. The airlift(private) happened only the next day and ITBP reached next day when its common knowledge that none buried in snow survives beyond 30 minutes. Will we improve. Edwin
