Uttarakhand avalanche: Death toll climbs to 26, IAF helicopter recovers 7 bodies

The death toll after an avalanche hit Draupadi ka Danda II peak in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district has now risen to 26.

This comes after an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) brought seven bodies of mountaineers trapped in the avalanche to Matli on Saturday.

#WATCH | Uttarkashi Avalanche: Seven bodies of mountaineers who were trapped in the avalanche, brought to Matli in Uttarkashi.#Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/d8tqZ7W4nu ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) October 8, 2022

The avalanche occurred at a height of 17,000 feet on October 4 when a team of climbers was returning after summiting Draupadi Ka Danda II peak.The team of climbers from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi went missing after getting trapped in the avalanche on their way back.

Despite weather conditions hindering the rescue operation, the search is on for three more people who are still missing. Meanwhile, the district administration of Uttarkashi on Thursday banned trekking and mountaineering activities for a few days due to the meteorological department’s rain and snow alert.