Dehradun, February 28 – A devastating avalanche struck a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp near the high-altitude border village of Mana in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Friday, trapping 41 workers under thick layers of snow. The calamity initially buried 57 workers, of whom 16 have been successfully rescued, officials confirmed.
The snowslide occurred on the route between Mana and Badrinath, burying a BRO camp engaged in construction work. Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari provided updates on the ongoing rescue operations, stating that multiple agencies, including the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), are working tirelessly to reach the remaining trapped individuals.
Mana, the last Indian village before the India-Tibet border, sits at an altitude of 3,200 meters, just three kilometers from the revered Badrinath shrine. Given its high-altitude location, the region is prone to extreme weather conditions, especially during winter.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reassured the public that every effort was being made to rescue those trapped. "Our disaster management team and the entire administration are fully alert. The rescue operation is underway with the support of ITBP and other departments. Our priority is to bring all trapped workers to safety at the earliest," Dhami stated.
Rescue operations have been hampered by persistent snowfall and rain in the region. The Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE) in Chandigarh had issued an avalanche warning at 5 PM on Thursday, cautioning against potential snowslides in areas above 2,400 meters in Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh, and Bageshwar districts. Additionally, the Meteorological Department had predicted heavy snowfall and rainfall in locations above 3,500 meters, prompting the State Emergency Operations Centre to issue alerts to local authorities.
Earlier, in a post on social media platform X, Dhami expressed his concerns about the situation. "Received the sad news about several labourers getting trapped in an avalanche near Mana village during BRO construction work. Rescue operations are in full swing with the help of ITBP, BRO, and other teams. I pray to Lord Badri Vishal for the safety of all the labourers," he wrote.
With rescue teams battling harsh weather conditions, efforts continue to locate and extricate the remaining trapped workers. The situation remains critical, and further updates are expected as the operations progress.
