Rescuers recovered the bodies of a man and a woman near Kedar Kharak as the search for six missing persons continues.
Rescue teams recovered the bodies of a man and a woman on Tuesday, November 3, following an avalanche on the Kedartal trekking route in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district, according to The Hindu.
The bodies were located near Kedar Kharak at an altitude of approximately 4,000 metres by a joint team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM).
Uttarkashi District Disaster Management Officer Shardul Gusain said the recovered bodies have not yet been identified. He added that the trekking agency, Soul Seeker, alerted authorities, prompting the mobilisation of rescue teams.
The avalanche struck as the group was descending from Kedartal. The 12-member expedition, consisting of seven trekkers and five support staff, left Gangotri on October 27 and was expected to return by October 29.
The group included five men from West Bengal, two women from Uttar Pradesh, and a local guide from Uttarkashi. While four support staff returned to Gangotri on October 30, eight people remained missing after the avalanche.
Search operations were slowed by snow blizzards and difficult terrain. The search was called off around 3 pm on Tuesday and is scheduled to resume on Wednesday.
Authorities from the Gangotri National Park and the Uttarkashi Forest Division have suspended permits for treks at altitudes of 4,000 metres and above. No fresh permits are being issued for the Kedartal, Kalindi Khal, or Udankol routes.
