The death toll rose to 10 after an avalanche hit Draupadi Ka Danda-II mountain peak in Uttarakhand.

According to a release by the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), 41 people including 34 trainees and seven mountaineering instructors were hit by the avalanche.

Meanwhile, NDRF, SDRF, Indian Air Force continued their rescue operation and recued seven mountaineers.

Over 40 trainees and mountaineers are trapped in the area.

Uttarkhand DGP said, “Today the weather was clear, so teams of SDRF, ITBP, and NIM were sent by Air Force helicopter. Today 6 bodies have been recovered, till now a total of 10 bodies have been recovered. Around 20 are missing & search op is underway.”

NIM said on Tuesday said that as per the training schedule, the climbers moved to the mountain on September 23 after the revision of rock-climbing training at NIM and Tekhla rock climbing training area.

"The course arrived at Base Camp on September 25. As per the training schedule on October 4, the course moved for High Altitude Navigation and height gain to Mount Draupadi ka Danda-II (5670m) at 4.00 am while returning back from the mountain peak the Advance Mountaineering Course was met with an avalanche occurred above camp-1 in which 34 trainees and 7 mountaineering instructors were caught under avalanche at 08:45 hrs," said the release.