Uttarakhand avalanche: 4 laborers dead, 5 still missing
What's the story
Rescue operations are on in Uttarakhand's Mana village after an avalanche buried a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp early Friday morning. Reports suggest at least four workers died in the avalanche.
The disaster struck between 5:30am and 6:00am burying 55 workers under snow.
Till Saturday afternoon, 50 workers have been extricated while a search is ongoing for the remaining five.
The rescue efforts were initially hampered by rain and snowfall on Friday, prompting a suspension of operations overnight.
Operations resumed
Rescue operations resume with improved weather conditions
The rescue operations resumed on Saturday morning as the weather cleared, with the Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel leading the search. Helicopters were also deployed to aid in these efforts.
District Disaster Management Officer N.K. Joshi confirmed that an additional 14 laborers were rescued from the snow on Saturday morning.
Three of those rescued on Friday were airlifted to Jyotirmath Army Hospital due to their critical conditions.
Challenging terrain
Avalanche site's challenging conditions hamper rescue efforts
The avalanche site, located between Mana and Badrinath at an altitude of 3,200 meters, is blanketed with seven feet of snow. This has made the rescue operations especially difficult.
More than 65 personnel are participating in the rescue mission, including teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), ITBP, and the Army.
Government response
Government officials assure assistance, prioritize rescue efforts
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is personally monitoring the situation and has been in touch with officials on-site.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured all possible assistance from the central government.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also stressed that rescuing those trapped is a priority for the government.
The trapped laborers belong to various states including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir.
Weather impact
Adverse weather conditions block national highway, helplines issued
Adverse weather conditions have also blocked the Rishikesh-Badrinath national highway near Karnaprayag.
Amid this crisis, the Uttarakhand government has released a few helpline numbers for assistance. These include mobile numbers 8218867005 and 9058441404, telephone number 0135 2664315, and toll-free number 1070.
The rescue efforts continue as teams race against time to locate and save the remaining trapped workers in Mana village under challenging conditions.