Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences for the deaths in the Uttarakhand avalanche on Tuesday and stated that the situation is being closely monitored. "It is saddening that we have lost precious lives of those associated with a NIM Uttarkashi mountaineering expedition. Condolences to the bereaved families. Rescue operations are underway and the situation is being closely monitored by the authorities," the Prime Minister Office (PMO) tweeted. 





Ten mountaineers were killed in an avalanche at Mount Draupadi Ka Danda - II peak in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district on Tuesday, officials said. A team of 34 trainee mountaineers and seven instructors from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) was caught in an avalanche while returning, NIM Principal Colonel Amit Bisht said, reports news agency PTI. 






Ten bodies were sighted, of which four have been recovered, he added, reports PTI. 


The peak is located in Uttarakhand's Gangotri range of the Garhwal Himalayas. 


The avalanche occurred at 8.45 am, he said. Uttarkashi Disaster Management Officer Devendra Patwal said eight of those trapped were rescued by their team members.


ALSO READ: Uttarakhand: 8 Rescued, 21 Trainee Mountaineers Still Trapped In Avalanche At Danda-2 Peak


Uttarakhand SDRF Commandant Manikant Mishra tells ANI that there is continuous heavy snowfall on Draupadi's Danda-2 mountain peak. Despite this, recce efforts are underway through IAF helicopters to rescue NIM mountaineering trainees.


Union Home Minister Amit Shah took to Twitter and wrote, "The incident of avalanche in Uttarkashi is very sad. I have spoken to the officials in this regard. Local administration, SDRF, NDRF, ITBP and Army teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations with full readiness."






The National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and a team of mountaineers from the NIM have launched rescue operations, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said in a tweet.






The chief minister also spoke to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the phone and sought the help of the army in expediting rescue operations.






Earlier today, news agency ANI reported that eight of the 29 Nehru Mountaineering Institute trainees who were trapped after an avalanche hit Draupadi's Danda-2 mountain peak in Uttarakhand have been rescued.






(With Inputs From Agencies)