A fifth body has reportedly been recovered from the snowbound Kedartal route in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district. Dainik Jagran, in an update at 1:11 pm IST on November 5, 2026, said rescuers had found another male trekker that morning, bringing the number of bodies recovered to five. Three people remained unaccounted for. The Kedartal avalanche had initially left eight members of an expedition missing after heavy snowfall on October 29. Earlier reports of four deaths and four missing people were accurate through November 4, but should not be presented as the latest toll without noting Thursday's development.

Kedartal Avalanche: How the October 29 Disaster Unfolded

The expedition left Gangotri on October 27 for a scheduled three-day visit to Kedartal, a glacial lake around 4,720 metres above sea level. According to The Indian Express, the Forest Department had issued permission on October 26. A weather alert arrived around 10:30–11 am on October 27, after the group had already entered the trail. Gangotri National Park official Mayank Garg said the department could not reach the expedition to pass on the warning. Avalanches and heavy snow subsequently blocked sections of the return route.

Four support workers—three porters and a cook—were brought to safety near Kachchi Dhang on October 31. Seven trekkers and a local guide had initially remained missing. Some reports describe a 12-member party and others a 13-member roster; these totals should not be mixed without explaining the difference.

How the Kedartal Rescue Operation Reached Five Recoveries

The Gangotri trek rescue began with aerial surveys and difficult ground searches. Teams discovered tents, bags and other belongings around Kedar Kharak on November 2. Two bodies, one male and one female, were recovered on November 3, followed by two more on November 4. The November 5 Dainik Jagran update says a further male body was found after searches resumed at 8:45 am. That brings the reported recovery count to five, with three still missing; the newer finding has not appeared in all national news updates.

The SDRF Kedartal rescue involves a specialist high-altitude team working alongside personnel from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, police and other agencies. The NIM rescue team has helped search steep, snow-covered sections where machinery is difficult to deploy. Recovered bodies have been evacuated towards the Matli helipad for further procedures.

Identifications and the Missing-Person Count

Two victims have been identified as sisters Vartika Verma, 28, and Deepika Verma, 29, from Lucknow. The Statesman also reported that Bankura police identified two male victims as Rintu Mondal and Uday Ghosh; however, some Uttarkashi-based reports still described confirmation of the men's identities as pending. The identity of the fifth recovered person has not been confirmed in the latest report. For families following the Kedartal missing trekkers case, these differences matter. The older wording “four trekkers missing” referred to Wednesday's total of four untraced people, which included a local guide among the original missing group. Following Thursday's reported recovery, that phrase is no longer the latest count.

The Kedartal missing trekkers reports should therefore distinguish people still unaccounted for from bodies recovered and identified. Repeating “four trekkers missing” as a current headline could mislead readers about both the number and the expedition's composition.

Weather Warnings and High-Altitude Trekking Permits

The Kedartal avalanche has raised a specific communication problem: officials received the forecast alert after the party had already departed, but could not reach it. That is different from claiming the expedition had no permit or that no warning existed. The Uttarkashi Forest Division has since paused permits for treks at or above 4,000 metres until weather conditions improve, according to PTI. The Gangotri trek rescue raises questions about emergency contact arrangements, weather-alert delivery and safe evacuation routes, without establishing wrongdoing by any specific person.

What Happens Next

The SDRF Kedartal rescue personnel and the NIM rescue team face fresh snowfall, poor visibility and the risk of further movement on unstable slopes. The Kedartal rescue operation remains dependent on weather windows, helicopter access and careful ground searches.

For relatives, the priority is verified information about the three people still missing, not speculation about their fate. The latest Kedartal avalanche report marks a grim change in the toll, but a final account of the disaster will depend on completed identifications and the authorities' investigation.