Uttarkashi, Nov 2 A rescue operation to locate eight individuals, including seven trekkers, who went missing on the Kedartal trek in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, has been suspended due to inclement weather, officials said on Monday evening.
The operation is being carried out by personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) of the Uttarakhand Police and the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) amidst challenging terrain and difficult conditions.
As of Monday evening, the SDRF reported that a tent and other items had been discovered at an altitude of approximately 4,000 metres.
On October 27, a group of 13 people, consisting of seven trekkers and six support staff, departed from Gangotri for the Kedartal trek. They were scheduled to return on October 29, but adverse weather conditions, including glaciers and snowfall, blocked the route, preventing their timely return.
Subsequently, on October 30, the trekking agency dispatched a team of porters and guides, who managed to clear a path for about six kilometres.
On Saturday, the district emergency operations centre informed that four individuals had been found safe, while eight remained stranded beyond Bhojkhadak due to an avalanche.
On October 31, at 6 am, a 10-member National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team departed from Uttarkashi for Gangotri to assist with the rescue operations. Additionally, teams comprised of two Forest Department personnel, seven members from the trekking agency, and six SDRF personnel were also deployed towards Kedartal.
On November 1, an SDRF team from Gangotri reached the Kedartal area for reconnaissance; however, heavy snowfall and adverse conditions hindered the progress of the search operation.
On Monday, a 10-member Mountain Rescue Team (MRT), consisting of SDRF and NIM personnel, was airlifted to the site to search for the missing individuals. During the search, the team found a tent and several other belongings, believed to belong to the missing trekkers, near Kedar Kharak at an altitude of about 4,000 metres. Officials reported that a bag was also recovered during the operation.
According to information relayed via satellite phone by the SDRF team leader at the site, the area is experiencing continuous snowfall. Adverse weather conditions and the extreme altitude are posing significant challenges to the search operation.
Given these circumstances, the team has established a secure camp at the location, where they will spend the night.
Officials stated that the search operation will resume once the weather conditions and the overall situation improve.
(PTI News)
