20,000-rupee jobs, and a love for mountains: A tale of 5 missing friends

Five friends from West Bengal’s Bankura district travelled to Uttarakhand for their annual mountain trek. Rintu Mondol, Uday Ghosh, Ratan Ghosh, Tapas Bauri and Monoj Khawas had left home on October 24 and hoped to visit Kedartal. They were among eight people reported missing after heavy snowfall and avalanches hit the area.

Their families learned about the disappearance from local officials a week after some relatives last spoke with them. Rintu’s brother said the group regularly saved money from factory and office jobs for mountain trips. This was their fifth year visiting Uttarakhand, though Kedartal was a new destination for them.

Rescuers later recovered two bodies from avalanche debris, but officials had not identified them. The other six missing people remained the subject of a search operation. The families were waiting for further updates and hoped their relatives would return alive.

Kedartal is a high-altitude glacial lake and trekking destination in Uttarakhand’s Himalayan region. It is reached through a demanding mountain route near Gangotri. The article focuses on Kedartal because severe snowfall and avalanches struck the area while a trekking party was there.

The five friends from West Bengal had visited several Uttarakhand destinations and Dhams in earlier years. This time, they specifically wanted to see Kedartal, which Uday Ghosh’s brother said they had not visited during their previous four trips. Their journey placed them in remote, snow-covered terrain.

The location matters because rescue work was taking place at about 4,005 metres. Teams had to search avalanche debris and operate from a base camp. Officials also built an alternative helipad at the incident site to support helicopter operations as the search continued.

The trekking party consisted of 12 people. It included seven trekkers, a guide, a cook and three porters. Eight members went missing after heavy snowfall and avalanches affected the Kedartal route, making the incident a large and urgent mountain rescue.

Four people escaped the affected stretch and were rescued on October 31. They were three porters and a cook, found near Kachchi Dhang below the avalanche-hit area. The remaining eight people included the five trekkers from West Bengal and three other party members.

On Tuesday, rescue teams recovered two bodies from avalanche debris. Their identities were not established at that time, so they could not yet be linked to particular missing people. The search therefore continued for the other six missing members, with operations planned to resume on Wednesday.

Heavy snowfall and repeated avalanches made the search dangerous and difficult. Snow can bury people, tents, paths and equipment, while avalanche debris can cover a wide area. Further snowfall may also trigger fresh slides, putting rescuers at risk and reducing visibility.

The missing group was trapped in the Kedartal region after the weather worsened. Four porters and a cook were rescued below the avalanche-affected stretch, but the other eight remained in the dangerous upper area. Officials said rescue operations could not be conducted on Monday because snowfall continued.

The site’s altitude also slowed the response. It was located at 4,005 metres, and teams had to work from a base camp. Rescuers searched for hours before recovering two bodies on Tuesday. They stopped at about 3 pm and planned to resume the operation the next day, using an alternative helipad to support helicopter access.

The State Disaster Response Force and the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering formed the joint team leading the search. Their work mattered because eight people were missing in a high-altitude area affected by snowfall and avalanches. The teams needed specialist rescue and mountaineering skills.

Their search began around 7:30 am on Tuesday. After considerable effort, they recovered two bodies from avalanche debris. The operation ended at about 3 pm, and the teams returned to base camp. They planned to continue the search on Wednesday for the six people still missing.

Rescuers also built an alternative helipad at the incident site, which was about 4,005 metres above sea level. The helipad was intended to make helicopter operations easier. Four party members had already been rescued near Kachchi Dhang on October 31, while the remaining group stayed unaccounted for.

Authorities received a weather alert around 10:30 or 11 am on October 27. It warned that adverse conditions were expected on October 29. By then, the trekking party had already left Gangotri, so officials tried to reach the group with the warning.

They were unable to contact the trekkers, according to Mayank Garg, the Deputy Director of Gangotri National Park. Because the warning did not reach them, the group continued into the route before heavy snowfall and avalanches affected the region. The party had permission for a three-day expedition and was expected back by October 29.

Authorities learned on October 30 that the group had been trapped. Four members were rescued the next day, but eight remained missing. The communication failure shows how quickly changing weather and weak contact in remote mountain terrain can increase danger, especially after a group has already started its journey.

An avalanche is a fast-moving mass of snow, ice and sometimes debris that slides down a mountain slope. It forms when layers of snow become unstable and the force holding them in place is overcome. Steep terrain makes it easier for the snowpack to move downhill.

Heavy snowfall can add weight to existing snow layers. Wind, temperature changes, weak layers beneath the surface, or movement on the slope can then trigger a break. Once part of the snowpack starts sliding, it can gather more snow and debris as it descends. People caught underneath may be buried or trapped.

In this incident, snowfall and avalanches affected the Kedartal region and trapped members of the trekking party. Avalanche debris blocked or covered the search area, while continued snowfall increased danger for rescuers. Teams therefore worked carefully, recovered two bodies and planned further searches when conditions allowed.