Two more bodies recovered in Uttarakhand trekking avalanche tragedy
The total death toll has reached four as search teams continue to look for missing trekkers on the Kedartal route.
Authorities recovered the bodies of two more men on Wednesday who had gone missing six days ago while trekking on the Kedartal route, according to the Deccan Herald. These recoveries follow the discovery of two other bodies buried in an avalanche at the Kedarkhadak camping area on Tuesday.
The two bodies found on Tuesday were identified by family members at the Uttarkashi District Hospital as sisters Vartika Verma, 28, and Deepika Verma, 29. Both were residents of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Officials stated that the identification process for the two men recovered on Wednesday is currently underway.
A 10-member team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) is conducting search operations. The team is digging through 10 to 12 feet of accumulated snow by hand because the terrain makes it difficult to use snow-removal machines.
District Magistrate Prashant Arya said an additional SDRF team was sent to the site on Wednesday with food supplies and assistance. He noted that the administration is overseeing the safety and logistics of the search teams.
The trekking group, which included people from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, set out from Gangotri on October 27. The group was unable to return as scheduled on October 29 due to adverse weather and heavy snowfall.