Uttarakhand avalanche rescue: Four additional bodies recovered from the ice, bringing the death toll to 8 after a 60-hour operation

Uttarakhand Avalanche Tragedy: Four More Bodies Recovered After Grueling 60-Hour Rescue Operation

In a heartbreaking update to the Uttarakhand avalanche disaster, rescue teams recovered four more bodies from the ice on Thursday, bringing the death toll to eight after an exhaustive 60-hour search operation. The victims, part of a mountaineering expedition, were caught in a massive avalanche earlier this week in the high-altitude regions of the Garhwal Himalayas.  

The tragedy struck when a group of 12 climbers—eight from India and four foreign nationals—were scaling a remote peak near the Nanda Devi region. Without warning, a wall of snow and ice cascaded down the mountainside, burying several team members under tons of debris.  

"Rescue teams battled freezing temperatures, treacherous terrain, and the constant threat of fresh avalanches to locate the missing climbers," said Colonel Ajay Kothiyal (retd), a senior official coordinating the operation. "The conditions were brutal, but our teams refused to give up."  

The recovered bodies have been airlifted to a nearby medical facility for identification and post-mortem examinations. Among the deceased are two experienced guides from Uttarakhand who had assisted numerous expeditions in the region.  

Survivors recounted the terrifying moments when the avalanche hit. "It was like the mountain exploded. One second we were roped together, the next we were tumbling through snow and ice," said Rakesh Mehta, a Delhi-based mountaineer who suffered minor injuries. "We dug ourselves out, but our friends...they were just gone."  

The Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and local disaster response teams worked around the clock in the perilous search. Drones and sniffer dogs were deployed to locate victims trapped under the snow.  

Environmental experts suggest the avalanche may have been triggered by unseasonal snowfall and shifting glacial patterns—a growing concern in the Himalayas due to climate change. "These mountains are becoming increasingly unpredictable," warned glaciologist Dr. Anil Vajpayee. "Expeditions must exercise extreme caution, especially in the shoulder seasons."  

As grieving families prepare to receive their loved ones' remains, the mountaineering community mourns the loss. "These were not just climbers—they were dreamers who loved the mountains," said a spokesperson for the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. "Their passion cost them their lives, but their spirit remains on these peaks."  

Authorities have temporarily suspended trekking activities in the area while they assess safety conditions. Meanwhile, questions arise about whether better early warning systems could have prevented the tragedy.  

For now, the focus remains on supporting the survivors and honoring those who perished in nature's unforgiving embrace.