Death toll rises to 9 in Uttarakhand trekking tragedy, rescue efforts intensify

The death toll from the incident involving missing trekkers in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district has risen to nine, even as rescue efforts continue for the second consecutive day. Thirteen trekkers have been rescued so far, but only five bodies have been recovered.

The ordeal began on June 4 when a group of 22 trekkers, comprising 18 from Karnataka, one from Maharashtra, and three local guides, went missing en route to Sahastra Tal. The trekkers found themselves stranded on top of a hill at an altitude of 15,000 feet on the Uttarkashi-Tehri border due to extreme weather conditions.

According to Uttarkashi District Magistrate Meharban Singh Bisht, the trekking team had embarked on their expedition to Sahastra Tal on May 29 and was scheduled to return on June 7. However, around 4 pm on Tuesday, they encountered treacherous weather, leading to their stranding at Kufri top.

Upon receiving the alert, the Uttarkashi and Tehri Disaster Management Centres swiftly mobilised the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams for rescue and relief operations at the Kush Kalyan base camp, where the trek commenced.

In a coordinated effort, NDRF personnel and two helicopters have been deployed to carry out the rescue operation, while an ambulance has been stationed at the Matli helipad to provide immediate medical assistance.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed condolences over the incident and assured that appropriate relief measures would be taken. He further stated that the Indian Air Force has been roped in to aid the ongoing rescue efforts.