8 Missing In Uttarakhand’s Kedartal After Avalanche, 5 From Bengal And 2 From UP

Eight people, including five trekkers from West Bengal, two from Uttar Pradesh and a local guide from Uttarkashi, remain missing in Uttarakhand’s Kedartal region after heavy snowfall and multiple avalanches blocked their return route. On the fourth day of the search operation, rescue teams spotted a tent and personal belongings near Kedarkadak on November 2, but have yet to establish contact with the missing group.

The missing persons were part of a trekking party that set out from Gangotri on October 27 for a three-day expedition to Kedartal in Uttarkashi district. The group was expected to return on October 29, but deteriorating weather conditions left them stranded along the route.

7 Trekkers And A Local Guide Remain Unaccounted For

The missing trekkers have been identified as Tapas Bauri, Ratan Ghosh, Manoj Khovas, Rintu Mandal and Uday Ghosh from West Bengal, and Vartika Verma and Deepika Verma from Uttar Pradesh. The eighth missing person is their 25-year-old guide, Siddharth Rana, a resident of Uttaron village in Uttarkashi.

According to officials, the group had entered the trekking route before the forest department received a weather alert on October 27, warning of adverse conditions expected on October 29. Authorities were unable to communicate the warning to the party as there was no contact with the trekkers after they began their expedition. On October 30, the trekking agency was informed that the group was stranded near Kachchi Dhang and required assistance.

Four members of the support team, comprising three porters and a cook, were rescued near Kachchi Dhang on October 31. However, multiple avalanches along the route, including near Sukhi Dhang and Bhojkhadak, have made it difficult for rescue personnel to reach the remaining eight. Officials estimate that the affected stretch is around 11–12 km on foot from the trekking route's entry point, with avalanches reported at approximately 10–12 locations.

Multi-Agency Rescue Operation Hampered By Fresh Snowfall

The search operation involves the Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), forest officials and the district administration. A 10-member Mountain Rescue Team, comprising six SDRF personnel and four NIM members, was airlifted to the Kedartal valley on November 2. A separate team also searched the stretch between Bhojkhadak and Kedarkharak. Despite aerial reconnaissance and ground searches, the teams could not locate the missing individuals.

The operation was suspended on Monday evening as fresh snowfall and deteriorating weather conditions made further searches difficult. Rescue personnel remain stationed at base camps, with operations expected to resume when conditions improve. The district administration has also contacted the families of all eight missing persons to inform them about the situation.

The incident has once again drawn attention to the challenges of conducting high-altitude expeditions in Uttarakhand during unstable weather conditions. Kedartal, situated in the Gangotri region, is a high-altitude glacial lake trek where sudden weather changes and avalanche-prone stretches can complicate rescue efforts.

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