newsroompost
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • twitter

Uttarakhand: 10 killed in avalanche at Uttarkashi, search continues for others

A rescue officer said the injured trainees are being flown to a nearby helipad at a height of 13,000 feet, and then to state capital Dehradun

New Delhi: 10 trainee mountaineers were killed after an avalanche in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand hit them on Tuesday. Nearly 8 persons have been rescued yet and a search has been initiated for 11 others.

All the trainees are reportedly from the Nehru Mountaineering Institute. State’s police chief Ashok Kumar informed that the Indian Air Force helicopters have already joined the rescue efforts.

According to preliminary reports, the avalanche occurred at around 9 am on the mountain situated at the altitude of 16,000 feet.

An officer told that the injured individuals are being taken to the nearby helipad, from where they will be flown to the capital city Dehradun for better treatment.

“Information about 28 trainees of Nehru Mountaineering Institute being trapped following an avalanche in Draupadi’s Danda-2 mountain peak has been received. Rapid, relief and rescue operations underway by the district administration, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel,” CM Dhami said on Tuesday.

“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”, he assured.

A SDRF team left from Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun has rushed to rescue the trainees trapped in avalanche for rescue work. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have also spoken with CM Dhami regarding the matter.