Eight trekkers remain missing in Uttarakhand after avalanches and heavy rain
Rescue teams in Uttarakhand are searching for eight people after a trekking group was trapped by adverse weather near Kedartal.
Eight members of a trekking group remain missing in the Kedartal area of Uttarakhand after being trapped by heavy rainfall and avalanches, according to The Indian Express. The group of 12, consisting of seven trekkers, one guide, one cook, and three porters, had set out from Gangotri on October 27.
Four members of the group, including three porters and one cook, were rescued on October 31 near Kachchi Dhang. They were brought to Gangotri by a special Search and Rescue team after personnel cleared snow to create a route.
The missing include five people from West Bengal, two women from Uttar Pradesh, and a 25-year-old guide from Uttarkashi. Mayank Garg, Deputy Director of Gangotri National Park, said the department granted the group permission for a three-day trek on October 26.
Garg said a weather alert for October 29 was received on October 27, but the group could not be contacted. He noted that avalanches had occurred at approximately 10-12 locations along the route.
Arpan Yaduvanshi, Commandant of the Uttarakhand SDRF, said aerial reconnaissance has not found any tents, remains, or distress calls. A team is scheduled to attempt a helicopter-based operation on Monday, November 2, to conduct a manual search of the high-altitude terrain.