Rescue teams on Tuesday recovered the bodies of two people who had gone missing following an avalanche on the Kedartal trekking route in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district on October 29, officials said. Six others remain missing as search operations continue in the snow-covered Himalayan terrain.
The bodies of a man and a woman were recovered near Kedar Kharak, at an altitude of approximately 4,000 metres, during a joint operation by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM). The identities of the deceased have not yet been established.
Uttarkashi District Disaster Management Officer Shardul Gusain said the rescue team communicated the discovery through a satellite phone after locating the bodies beneath the snow.
The recovery came after five days of efforts to trace eight people who lost contact with the rest of their trekking group following heavy snowfall and an avalanche.
๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ผ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐บ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ช๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐
According to the district emergency operations centre, rescuers retrieved the two bodies after considerable effort in difficult terrain.
The team completed Tuesday's search around 3 pm and returned to its base camp at Kedar Kharak. Officials said the operation would resume on Wednesday to locate the remaining six people.
An alternative helipad has been constructed near the incident site to facilitate the movement of rescue personnel and equipment.
SDRF officials said another team comprising six to seven personnel would be dispatched from Dehradun to reinforce the rescue operation.
A 10-member team, including six SDRF personnel and four members of NIM, had been airlifted to Kedar Kharak on Monday to conduct searches in the avalanche-affected area.
The rescuers also recovered tents and equipment bags near the campsite, providing evidence of the group's presence in the area before contact was lost.
๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฑ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฟ๐ป ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ธ
The trekking expedition had departed from Gangotri on October 27 and was scheduled to return on October 29.
The group encountered severe weather while descending from Kedartal, a glacial lake situated at an altitude of approximately 15,485 feet, or 4,720 metres.
Heavy snowfall and an avalanche near Kedar Kharak disrupted the expedition, leaving eight members unaccounted for.
Four support personnel managed to return to safety and alert the trekking agency, following which the district administration mobilised rescue teams.
The missing group comprised five male trekkers from West Bengal, two female trekkers from Uttar Pradesh and a local guide from Uttarkashi.
Authorities have informed the families of the missing persons about the situation and the continuing rescue efforts.
๐๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ต๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
The rescue operation has been repeatedly disrupted by adverse weather, including heavy snowfall and poor visibility.
Teams searching the route have encountered deep snow, unstable terrain and difficult conditions that have restricted movement and aerial operations.
The Kedartal trail begins at Gangotri and extends approximately 18 kilometres through steep mountain slopes, alpine meadows and unstable moraine fields alongside the Kedar Ganga river.
The high-altitude route is considered challenging even under favourable conditions, with sudden weather changes posing significant risks to trekkers.
Search teams had conducted aerial reconnaissance and attempted to approach the affected area on foot over the preceding days. However, deteriorating weather forced them to suspend operations on Monday.
Improved conditions on Tuesday allowed personnel to resume the search, leading to the recovery of the two bodies.
๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต-๐ฎ๐น๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ธ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ
Meanwhile, the Uttarkashi Forest Division has temporarily stopped issuing permits for trekking routes situated at altitudes of 4,000 metres and above because of unfavourable weather conditions.
Divisional Forest Officer Jeevan Mohan Dagade said the restriction would remain in effect until conditions improved and further orders were issued.
The suspension covers high-altitude routes, including Lamkhaga Pass and Trikhanta, where snowfall and changing weather patterns could endanger trekking groups.
Officials said the immediate priority remained locating the six missing people and ensuring the safety of rescue personnel operating in the avalanche-prone region.
The search is expected to continue on Wednesday, subject to weather conditions and accessibility along the Kedartal route.