Poonam Nath

Uttarakhand Avalanche Incident: Four dead, rescue efforts continue

Digital Desk: As rescue operations near Mana village in Uttarakhand's Badrinath continue to free the last eight of 55 laborers who have been stuck for more than 24 hours due to an avalanche, the Indian Army reported the death of four workers who had already been rescued.

After an avalanche slammed a high-altitude Border Roads Organization (BRO) camp in Mana village, the Indian Army and rescue teams are working tirelessly to recover the trapped workers.

On Day 2, the Indian Army resumed the search operation, stating that 14 additional troops had been rescued and three critically ill personnel had been transported to Joshimath via civil helicopters "with slight respite in the weather."

Indian Army posted on X, "Three injured personnel were evacuated from Mana to Joshimath for critical medical care using Indian Army civil helicopters."

The rescue operation was halted due to heavy snowfall and the threat of more avalanches. By the end of Day 1, 33 workers were rescued. Uttarakhand's Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman noted that the search operation would be challenging due to seven feet of snow next to the avalanche site.

55 workers were trapped at a BRO camp in Mana, the last village on the Indo-Tibetan border, by an avalanche, burying them inside eight containers and one shed.

The Union Defence Ministry is assisting in the search and rescue operation for workers trapped in three containers in Uttarakhand.

The Indian Army's response teams, which include around 100 Ibex Bigade members, have mobilized medics, ambulances, and plant equipment. By 11:50 a.m., the search operation teams had located five containers, rescuing all ten individuals.

However, four workers' conditions are still critical. The crews are approaching the search operation with considerable caution due to the region's severe snowfall.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is observing the rescue operation from his residence.