Avalanche strikes Uttarakhand’s Danda-2 peak; 10 feared dead, 8 rescued
As many as 10 people are feared dead after an avalanche hit Mount Draupadi Ka Danda-II peak in Uttarakhand trapping 29 mountaineers from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi on Tuesday, PTI said quoting the institute’s Principal, Amit Bisht. Rapid relief operations are presently underway to rescue those trapped. According to Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar, quoted by ANI, eight of the trainees have been rescued safely.
IAF helicopters have been deployed for search and rescue operations, he added.
The peak is located in the Gangotri range of the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand.
Tweeting about the incident, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “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.”
मा. रक्षा मंत्री श्री @rajnathsingh जी से वार्ता कर रेस्क्यू अभियान में तेजी लाने के लिए सेना की मदद लेने हेतु अनुरोध किया है, जिसको लेकर उन्होंने हमें केंद्र सरकार की ओर से हर सम्भव सहायता देने के लिए आश्वस्त किया है। सभी को सुरक्षित निकालने हेतु रेस्क्यू अभियान चलाया जा रहा है।
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) October 4, 2022
Expressing grief at the incident Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that he had spoken to the Uttarakhand CM and took stock of the situation. “I have instructed the IAF to mount the rescue and relief ops. Praying for everyone’s safety and well-being,” he tweeted.
Deeply anguished by the loss of precious lives due to 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. Okay 1/2
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) October 4, 2022