Naib Subedar Anil Kumar, who was one of the instructors during the Draupadi Ka Danda-II summit in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, broke down when he recalled an avalanche incident that killed at least nine climbers. Instructors of the Nehru Mountaineering Institute were leading the team of climbers, many of whom are still missing after being hit by a severe avalanche while returning from Draupadi Ka Danda-II summit. Referring to the escape from the depths of thick snow, Naib Subedar Anil Kumar said that everything was covered with snow due to the avalanche.
“Within seconds, everything was covered with a thick cloud of snow,” he said.
Naib Subedar Anil Kumar was among the 14 climbers who were brought down by the rescue team and admitted to the district hospital. At least 16 people have died in an avalanche that hit Draupadi’s Danda-II peak in Uttarkashi. According to the NIM, the death toll is likely to rise as the search and rescue operation for the missing climbers continues.
“The team consisted of 42 climbers including 34 trainees. I was leading them. Trainers Savita Kanswal and Naumi Rawat were behind me while the rest were following them,” the coach said.
“Then, hit the avalanche and buried everything under thick snow within seconds,” he said.
Recalling the incidents, the instructor said that 33 climbers had taken shelter in a rift (a deep crack in a very thick layer of snow) during the avalanche. However, he hung on one side of the crack. “I was hanging on the left side of the crevice. When the snow started to freeze, I untied the ropes and started releasing my teammates. Other trainers also joined in,” said Naib Subedar Anil Kumar.
He said it took the trainers two hours to clear the snow.
Those who could be seen were taken out. The coach said that despite his efforts, 29 team members got trapped inside the cracks.
In 2010, Anil Kumar was with a 250-member team during an expedition when he got caught in an avalanche. He narrowly escaped but lost his 18 fellow climbers. “But Draupadi’s avalanche near Danda-II was huge,” he said.
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