Death toll rises to 11 in India's avalanche tragedy

The death toll in Friday's avalanche following a glacier burst in India's northern state of Uttarakhand has risen to 11, a senior administration official said Sunday, reported Xinhua.

The natural tragedy had hit the state's Chamoli district late on Friday afternoon.

Deputy Commissioner Swati Bhadoria said that relief and rescue work was going on at the tragedy site, as one more dead body was recovered on Sunday, taking the total to 11.

The rescue work is being jointly carried out by the local administration, Indian Army and Border Road Organisation, she said, adding so far as many as 384 people were rescued alive, among whom seven were injured.

Besides, roads in the area are being cleared of snow. In a bid to take stock of the damage caused by the natural tragedy, a team of local administration and rescue workers tried to reach the affected areas, but the helicopter they were travelling in failed to land in the area due to unsuitable conditions.

This is the second successive natural tragedy in the area this year. In February, a similar disaster led to a massive avalanche followed by floods, killing at least 80 people in the area.