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A group of 22 trekkers heading to Sahastra Tal in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district has gone missing due to severe weather conditions. Four trekkers are feared dead, and rescue operations are underway to save the remaining members.
A 22-member trekking team, including 18 from Karnataka, one from Maharashtra, and three local guides, went missing while trekking to Sahastra Tal. The group, led by the Himalayan View Tracking Agency, started their expedition on May 29 and was expected to return on June 7.
Weather and Rescue Efforts
Bad weather caused the team to lose their way and get trapped. The trekking agency reported that four members are feared dead and requested the evacuation of 13 trapped trekkers.
Uttarkashi District Magistrate Meharban Singh Bisht has mobilized the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local rescue teams to the site. Rescue teams have been dispatched from both Uttarkashi and Ghansali Tehri sides to ensure a swift operation.
Geographical and Historical Context
Sahastra Tal, located at an altitude of approximately 4,100-4,400 meters, is a group of seven lakes and is historically significant as the place where the Pandavas are believed to have ascended to heaven.
Government and Local Response
The District Magistrate has requested air rescue assistance from the Central Defence Department and ground rescue support from the SDRF commandant. Local villagers from Silla have been asked to assist the rescue teams, and additional support from the police and forest department in Tehri district has been requested.
The Tehri district administration has sent teams to assist in rescuing the trekkers trapped at Sahastra Tal. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with hopes of saving the remaining trekkers as quickly as possible.
