Uttarkashi avalanche: Rescue teams recover two more bodies; death toll rises to 4

The bodies of two more trekkers from the eight people missing after a massive avalanche on Uttarkashi district’s Kedartal trek route on October 29 were recovered on Wednesday, taking the toll to four, officials said.Earlier, on Monday, the team recovered tents and bags from near Kedar Kharak, the second major campsite along the trail. (HT Sourced Photo)State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi said, “The search and rescue teams recovered two bodies on Tuesday and another two on Wednesday. The toll has risen to 4. The search for the remaining missing trekkers is underway.”The missing group consisted of five male trekkers from West Bengal, two female trekkers from Uttar Pradesh, and a local guide from Uttarkashi.Of the four deceased, two have been identified as sisters from Lucknow - Vartika (28), and Deepika Verma (29).The identification of the two bodies was still underway, at the time filing the report.“The bodies were brought to Matli helipad in Uttarkashi via helicopter at 11.52am. The bodies were shifted to the mortuary of the district hospital for identification and postmortem,” said Uttarkashi district magistrate Prashant Arya.“Around 50kg of rations, essential butane gas, and other relief material were also delivered to the search and rescue teams involved in the operation,” he said.Also Read:Contact lost with 5 trekkers on Uttarakhand’s Vasukital trek, journey began five days ago“The search and rescue operation is underway on a war footing. Despite severe challenges posed by difficult terrain, glaciers, snowfall, and extreme weather, teams from SDRF, NDRF, NIM, forest, police, and revenue departments are continuously working on the ground. We are closely monitoring every activity from the Smart Control Room to ensure the effective deployment of all rescue resources,” Arya said.Earlier, on Monday, the team recovered tents and bags from near Kedar Kharak, the second major campsite along the trail.The avalanche struck near Kedar Kharak on October 29 as the expedition was descending from Kedartal, a glacial lake situated at an elevation of 15,485 feet (4,720 metres). Fed by the melting snows of Mt Thalay Sagar, Mt Bhrigupanth, and the Jogin peaks, the lake is a popular destination for seasoned high-altitude hikers.The 12-member expedition—comprising seven trekkers and five support personnel—flagged off from Gangotri on October 27 and was slated to complete the circuit by October 29. Four support staffers who managed to reach Gangotri on October 30 after losing contact with the others alerted authorities about the incident.Photo - Bodies sent to district hospital for postmortem