Surkhet, June 1:

The bodies of 16 persons who died last Saturday in a snowstorm near Tangtange Lake in Dolpa district were recovered today.

According to the mid-western regional police office at Surkhet, the rescue team dug out the bodies from under the snow. Although the team identified the spot on Wednesday, the bodies could not be dug out due to bad weather, said DSP at Surkhet Naresh Man Shrestha. Among the bodies, 10 are of males and six of females, he said, adding that half of them were children.

Children are recruited for the collection of yarsagumba as they have sharp eyesight. Ten other missing persons have also come into contact in the region, DSP Shrestha said. This makes the number of persons who came into contact 40, including 30 on Thursday.

The other missing persons had gone to collect yarsagumba in the surrounding areas, DSP Shrestha quoted the rescue team as saying.

Meanwhile, the relatives of those killed came to the spot and the bodies were handed over to their kin. The rescue team was able to reach the site which is at an altitude of 16,000 feet at 4:00 pm yesterday after two-days’ attempt. The team will return from there tomorrow. The team includes army men, policemen and health workers.

An army press release confirmed today that 16 bodies have been found.