Two more trekkers' bodies recovered from Uttarakhand avalanche site
The death toll has reached six as rescue teams continue searching for two remaining missing trekkers in Uttarkashi district.
Two more bodies of trekkers were recovered on Thursday from the Kedartal trekking route in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district, according to The Indian Express. The recovery brings the total number of bodies found following an avalanche to six, while two other trekkers remain missing.
The recovered individuals have been identified as 40-year-old Rintu Mandal and 30-year-old Uday Ghosh, both residents of Salbani in West Bengal's Bankura district. A joint team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) recovered the bodies from separate locations during a search operation conducted between 9 am and 3.30 pm.
The incident involved a group that set out from Gangotri on October 27 for a three-day trek. The expedition included seven trekkers, one guide, one cook, and three porters. While four support staff members were rescued near Kachchi Dhang on October 31, several others were reported missing after heavy snowfall and avalanches occurred along the route.
Rescue teams are currently stationed at a base camp in the Kedarkhadak area, where they are working amid difficult terrain and challenging weather conditions. The recovered bodies are expected to be airlifted to the Matli helipad on Friday.
A fresh search operation is scheduled for Friday to locate the two remaining missing trekkers. The Gangotri National Park and the Uttarkashi Forest Division have stopped issuing permits for treks at altitudes of 4,000 metres or above until weather conditions improve.