Four bodies recovered from Uttarakhand trekking route as search continues
Rescuers have found four bodies following an avalanche on the Kedartal trek, while four people remain missing in the high-altitude region.
Rescue teams recovered two more bodies from the Kedartal trekking route in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district on Wednesday, according to The Indian Express. This brings the total number of recovered bodies to four following an avalanche and heavy snowfall that hit the area on October 29.
The bodies found on Wednesday were both men, according to The Pioneer. This follows the recovery of two women, identified by family members as sisters Vartika Verma and Deepika Verma, on Tuesday.
The missing group originally consisted of eight people, including five trekkers from West Bengal, two from Uttar Pradesh, and a local guide from Uttarkashi. While four members of the 12-person expedition were rescued on October 31, four others remain unaccounted for.
Search operations are being conducted by a joint team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM). The teams are working at an altitude of approximately 4,000 metres in difficult terrain with heavy snow accumulation.
SDRF commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi told PTI that the operation is extremely difficult due to hazardous conditions and snow blizzards. Rescuers are currently digging through the snow by hand because snow-removal equipment cannot be deployed in the area.
The expedition had departed from Gangotri on October 27 and was expected to return by October 29. Mayank Garg, Deputy Director of Gangotri National Park, told The Indian Express that a weather alert was issued on October 27, but the group could not be contacted.