Uttarakhand landslide: Two bodies recovered, death toll climbs to 79

Bodies of two persons, who went missing after a landslide triggered by heavy rains in Chamoli district on October 19, have been recovered taking the cumulative toll in rain-related incidents in Uttarakhand to 79.

Their bodies were pulled out of the rubble by rescuers a short distance away from their village on Thursday, officials said.

The two had gone to fix a drinking water pipeline near their village when they got buried in the debris of a landslide, they said.

They were identified as 48-year-old Bharat Singh Negi and 33-year-old Virendra Singh, who were residents of Dungri village.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had met their kin in the village recently to commiserate with them.