Uttarakhand avalanche: Death toll reaches 16, rescue operation underway

Uttarakhand, October 6: The death toll in the Uttarakhand avalanche has climbed to 16 as the bodies of 12 more mountaineers were discovered on Thursday, according to the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM). At least fifteen climbers are still believed to be missing. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday condoled the deaths of mountaineers in the horrific avalanche in Droupadi's Danda-II mountain peak. "The rescue teams are working continuously and I am monitoring the situation", the chief minister stated. According to information received, 16 bodies have been found so far, and relief and rescue teams are working around the clock. A team from Kashmir has also come. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the ITBP team are all on the task. The district administration is also involved in the rescue effort. Also Read | 16 die in bus accident in Bara district of Nepal, several injured An avalanche hit 41 Nehru Institute of Mountaineering trainees and instructors on Tuesday. According to the institute, the climbers moved to the mountain on September 23rd, following a revision of rock-climbing training at NIM and Tekhla rock climbing training area. The survivors of the Uttarkashi avalanche recalled their terrifying experiences on Wednesday. Deep Thakur, a trainee from Gujarat who survived the accident and is being treated at the district hospital, said the avalanche occurred unexpectedly while he was climbing to Draupadi's Danda Peak for a summit at around 9.45 a.m., causing him and his companions to fall into crevasses about 60 feet deep, where he struggled between death and life for about 3 hours. Another survivor, Akash Lalvani, a trainee from Mumbai, stated that he was only around 100 metres below the summit of Draupadi's Danda and that the only plan was to summit the mountain and then return down because the weather was also clear. However, the unexpected avalanche has left them with unforgettable sorrow. Also Read | Merced California kidnapping case update: Bodies of all 4 Punjabi family members recovered -PTC News