Friday, 07 October 2022 | PNS / Dehradun
The authorities recovered twelve more bodies of mountaineers on Thursday after a team from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) was trapped by an avalanche at Draupadi Ka Danda in Uttarkashi on Tuesday. According to the information provided by the district emergency control room of Uttarkashi, a total number of 16 bodies have been retrieved by the rescue teams so far of which 14 are trainees and two instructors. A total of 61 people were trapped in the avalanche out of which, 32 have been rescued safely, 16 are dead and 13 are still missing. A team of experts from Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir, High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) also joined the rescue operation with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and NIM. The officials informed us that more teams have also been sent to the advanced base camp from ITBP Matli in Uttarkashi. A helipad was also made at high altitudes to carry out search operations through helicopters. The officials informed that the search operation was hampered due to bad weather conditions but consistent efforts are still being made to find the missing mountaineers. The avalanche hit the Draupadi Ka Danda peak on Tuesday when 61 mountaineers and instructors of NIM were returning after climbing the peak. Considering the weather and the safety of the trekking and mountaineering teams in Uttarkashi, district magistrate Abhishek Ruhela on Thursday banned trekking activities till October 8.
