Uttarakhand Rescue: 67 Trekkers And Porters Airlifted From Snowbound Himalayan Routes

Twenty-seven trekkers and porters stranded in the high-altitude Himalayan regions of Uttarakhand were airlifted to safety on Tuesday as improving weather conditions allowed rescue teams to resume helicopter operations, officials said.

Eight people stranded at Kalindi Khal and eight at Mount Jogin, both in Uttarkashi district, were evacuated, while another 11 trekkers were rescued from the Vasuki Tal trekking route in Rudraprayag district. All those evacuated were taken to the Harsil helipad and underwent health checkups. Officials said everyone was found to be in normal health.

The latest operation takes the total number of trekkers and porters rescued over the past two days to 67. On Monday, 40 people stranded at different locations had been evacuated.

The rescue operation was launched after heavy rain in lower areas and snowfall in the higher reaches on September 26 and 27 left several trekking routes blocked or difficult to navigate. Landslides and snow accumulation further complicated movement in the mountainous terrain.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) coordinated the operation with the Army, paramilitary forces and Uttarakhand Police. SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi said the operation had been concluded for those whose locations had been confirmed, while teams remained on standby for any fresh information about stranded trekkers.

According to Yaduvanshi, 20 helicopter sorties were conducted over the two-day operation to evacuate people from the affected trekking routes.

The scale of the situation became clear after the state received reports of 136 stranded trekkers from different locations. However, officials said not everyone reported stranded wanted to be evacuated. Some chose to continue their treks despite the weather, while others said they preferred to return on foot.