Two Lucknow sisters found dead after Kedartal avalanche in Uttarakhand
The death toll has reached four following the recovery of Vartika Verma and Deepika Verma from the trekking route.
The bodies of two sisters from Lucknow, Vartika Verma and Deepika Verma, were recovered on Wednesday following an avalanche on the Kedartal trekking route in Uttarakhand, according to The Hindu.
The sisters were part of a group of eight people who went missing after being caught in heavy snowfall and avalanches on October 29. The death toll in the avalanche has reached four, as rescue teams continue to search for the remaining four trekkers, who are friends from West Bengal.
Vartika Verma, 28, was a freelance influencer, while 29-year-old Deepika Verma worked as a graphic designer at a private firm. The sisters had experience trekking in India and Nepal, including a trip to the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib two months ago.
The family alleged that they learned about the incident through social media rather than the trekking agency. They have questioned whether the agency assessed high-altitude risks and weather advisories, and if adequate emergency arrangements and guide support were provided.
The group, consisting of seven trekkers and six support staff, had left Gangotri on October 27. The avalanche occurred on October 29 near Kacchi Dhang, burying the area under 10-12 feet of snow.
Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering are conducting search operations. Rescuers have been digging by hand as snow-clearing machines could not reach the spot, while helicopters ferry supplies to the teams.