After wreaking havoc, the waves of Karnligad are now calm. Seeing the river’s tranquil flow, one wouldn’t sense that just a week ago, a tsunami-like surge swept through the area, burying the locality in the dust of history and even changing its geography. The riverbank, where tourists once spent hours frolicking in peace, now features large boulders deeply embedded in the sand alongside the wreckage of cars. The splendid resorts, grand lodgings, and restaurant buildings—all have been reduced to rubble.
Now, the river’s course has changed its banks entirely. The edge where it flowedbefore is now far away. Ravi Negi, a resident of Karnligad who lost his resort in the disaster, says, “Our elders used to say the river once flowed exactly where it is today.” Perhaps the river has returned to its home, but only after exacting a heavy price.
It’s now difficult to identify where Karnligad’s two banks originally were. Amidst the piles of debris, it’s barely recognizable that these are the remnants of homes. The iron bridge built to cross the river succumbed to the fury of the surging waves and now lies half a kilometer away, flattened. These days, makeshift arrangements are being used to cross the current. A journey to the other side is possible with the help of a few planks.
After crossing the river, we meet Ravi Negi standing near a massive heap of debris on the bank. Ravi points towards one such mound, explaining that it used to be his resort. Although one of his other buildings suffered less damage a short distance away, its interior is filled with sand and mud.
The pain of Karnligad’s Rakesh Negi is evident in his eyes. He shares how he invested all his life’s savings into building a resort. He had thought this haven, meant to give peace to tourists, would strengthen the foundation of his future, but fate had other plans. His resort, now overflowing with debris, is unrecognizable. This grand resort had opened just six months ago. In a choked voice, Rakesh says, “Everything is ruined.”
In conversation, he also recalls the disaster of 2011. The river was fearsome then, too, but the damage was less compared to today. When asked if he ever felt that such breathtaking scenery could also be disfigured by nature’s wrath, Rakesh replies, “Yes, it is true that one can never tell when nature’s silence will turn terrifying.” This is the lesson learned from Karnligad’s devastation.
