Uttarakhand avalanche: 10 dead and search operation on for 11 missing

Uttarakhand: Ten trainee mountaineers from the Nehru Mountaineering Institute in Uttarkashi were killed in an avalanche on Draupadi's Danda-2 mountain peak in Uttarakhand on Tuesday. Authorities managed to rescue eight trainees and a search is on for 11 more.

The avalanche hit the tea at 9 am at an altitude of 16,000 feet in the Dokriani Bamak glacier. Authorities at the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said the snout of the glacier is located at an altitude of 3700 m. The avalanche took place around 5,300 m altitude.

Piyoosh Rautela, executive director of Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority said: "Fresh snow, massive crevasses, and accessibility is a major challenge as one has to trek for around two days from Bhatwa through Tela and Jungle Chatti, to reach the area."

Uttarakhand police chief Ashok Kumar said Indian Air Force helicopters are helping in the rescue operation. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's office said teams of the National Disaster Response Force, the state disaster response force, and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police are also part of the rescue operation.

The Chief Minister's Office tweeted: "Rapid relief and rescue operations are being carried out by the district administration, NDRF, SDRF, Army, and ITBP personnel along with the team of NIM to rescue the trainees trapped in the avalanche in Draupadi's Danda-2 mountain peak at the earliest."

Defence minister Rajnath Singh offered condolences to the families of victims and tweeted: "Deeply anguished by the loss of precious lives due to the landslide which has struck the mountaineering expedition carried out by the Nehru Mountaineering Institute in Uttarkashi. My condolences to the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones."

Injured trainees were flown to a nearby helipad at 13,000 feet from where they were taken to Dehradun.