The Kedartal avalanche claimed the lives of two sisters from Lucknow who shared a passion for trekking

Rescue operation continues for stranded hikers after avalanche on Kedartal trek November 4, 2026 | Photo credit: ANI

A family’s desperate search for their two missing daughters ended in heartbreaking tragedy on Wednesday (November 4, 2026) after the bodies of sisters Vartika Verma and Deepika Verma, residents of Lucknow, were found in an avalanche on the Kedartal trek in Uttarakhand.

The sisters were among eight tourists stranded near Kacchi Dhang on their way to Kedartal. A group of 13 set out from Gangotri on 27 October, but heavy snowfall and avalanches cut off their route and left them trapped in the mountains.

The 26 km trek from Gangotri to Kedartal passes through Kedar Kharak and includes narrow, rocky sections at high altitude. The glacial lake is located at an altitude of about 4,700 meters above sea level, surrounded by high mountain peaks.

With the recovery of two more bodies, the death toll in the avalanche reached four. Rescue teams continue to search for the remaining four tourists, all friends from West Bengal.

A brother’s cry for help

“Please don’t move. Please share” were the words Atul Verma posted on Instagram, along with a photo of his younger sisters smiling in the front row of an AI-generated trekking group. He desperately tried to draw attention to the missing tourists and reach out to someone who could help.

“This is not just a photograph of a trekking group. These are eight human lives, eight families waiting for the return of their loved ones,” Mr Atul Verma wrote in his appeal. He urged people to tag the authorities, rescue teams and journalists and asked them to pray for his sisters and the other tourists. “One share could help this appeal reach someone who can make a difference,” he said.

The family said they learned about the incident through social media, not a travel agency.

Mr. Atul Verma then rushed to Uttarkashi hoping that there was still a chance of finding his sisters safe. He reached the district headquarters on Tuesday (11/3/2026) with other relatives, but was eventually told that both sisters had died.

The Verma sisters shared a love of trekking and explored several routes across India and Nepal. Vartika Verma, the younger sister, was a freelance influencer while Deepika Verma worked as a graphic designer at a private firm. Both had considerable trekking experience. Just two months ago, they had returned from a trip to the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand.

“They were well equipped and experienced,” said Mr Atul Verma. The family never imagined that something both sisters loved so much would end this way.

The family’s appeal also questioned the arrangements made by the trekking agency. Their application asked whether weather warnings had been checked and whether the risks of the high altitude trek had been properly assessed by the trekking agency. Mr. Atul Verma also questioned whether adequate emergency arrangements and guide support were provided. He called for an investigation into the agency’s role and demanded accountability.

A race against time

Teams of the State Disaster Response Force and the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering recovered four bodies by Wednesday noon. The search for the remaining missing tourists continues.

The avalanche buried the area under 10-12 feet of snow, making rescue efforts slow and punishing, officials said. When snow removal machines could not reach the site, rescue workers dug by hand. Helicopters were ferrying supplies from the Matli heliport to Kedarkhadak to keep the search teams supplied, officials said.

A group consisting of seven tourists and six support workers left Gangotri on 27 October and was scheduled to return by 29 October. However, snowfall and inclement weather along the trail disrupted their journey. The avalanche occurred on October 29. On October 30, the trekking agency sent porters and guides to clear the way. They managed to clear about six kilometers of the trail. Five people were later found safe, while eight, two from Uttar Pradesh and five from West Bengal, and one guide were left stranded behind Bhojkhadak after an avalanche.

Published – 04 Nov 2026 21:44 IST