Uttarakhand disaster toll climbs to 77

Dehradun, Oct 24 (PTI) Bodies of five out of six trekkers feared dead on Suderdhunga trek in Bageshwar district were found on Sunday as the cumulative death toll in rain-related incidents in Uttarakhand rose to 77.

However, search is still on for another trekker in the area, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) sources here said.

Meanwhile, 19 people stranded in Kafni glacier were brought to their village Chuni and 33 stuck in Pindari glacier were evacuated to safety, they said.

Two trekkers missing on way to Chitkul via Harsil in Uttarkashi district are yet to be found, they said.

Bodies of seven trekkers -- part of the 11-member team -- were recovered on Sunday while two other members of the group rescued alive have been under treatment for a couple of days.

Bodies of trekkers from West Bengal were sent home after a postmortem examination while the last rites of a woman trekker from Delhi was performed by her family members in Uttarkashi, district disaster management officer Devendra Patwal said.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday visited the damaged Gaula bridge in Haldwani and said work on war footing will be done to restore traffic movement.

Accompanied by Cabinet ministers Yatishwaranand and Dhan Singh Rawat, Dhami said the state government stood with the affected people who will be given all help. PTI ALM RHL