12 years after he was stuck in Kedar, student survives Dharali

DEHRADUN: Twelve years ago, a nine-year-old boy stood on the edge of disaster. His family had just left Gaurikund, walking away from what would become the epicentre of one of Uttarakhand's worst tragedies - the 2013 Kedarnath floods.

They didn't know it then, but they would remain trapped in the hills near Chopta for nearly two weeks, their route cut off by landslides, their survival reduced to patience and instinct.That boy, Amritansh Kumar, turned 21 on Saturday, and, three days later, found himself in almost the same situation again. He was caught in the flash flood near Dharali during a rain-lashed bike trip to Gangotri.