The first images of the recent disaster in Dharali, Uttarakhand, came from two brothers in the village, Sumit and Manmohan. Filming from their rooftop, they captured scenes that would become the earliest visuals to reach social media and newsrooms.

Sumit recalls the moment around 1.30 pm, when light rain was falling, and a sudden roar broke the quiet. A haze hid the source, but within 20 seconds, movement stirred in the valley. And then, a torrent of water and debris surged into the marketplace.

The brothers blew whistles and shouted warnings, but the water current left many with no time to flee. The flood struck not once but again and again – about six major waves and several smaller surges – battering the village until around 6 pm. Debris climbed nearly 60 feet, sweeping away buildings and people in its path.

Their footage alerted both the administration and the media to the scale of destruction, helping speed up relief efforts. Watch our conversation with Sumit and Manmohan, the men who filmed Dharali’s day of devastation.

Watch.

Stay tuned for more updates from the ground. Power our coverage.