Dehradun, March 1 – Rescue teams resumed operations on Saturday morning to locate 22 labourers trapped under deep snow following an avalanche in Mana village, Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. The efforts were restarted as weather conditions improved after being suspended overnight due to rain and heavy snowfall.
Officials have indicated that helicopters from both private agencies and the Indian Air Force (IAF) could be deployed to aid rescue efforts if weather conditions permit. The Gauchar airstrip has been prepared to facilitate aerial operations, said Chamoli District Disaster Management Officer N.K. Joshi.
Ongoing Rescue Efforts Amid Challenging Conditions
On Friday, a total of 55 labourers from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) were caught in the avalanche that buried a BRO camp situated between Mana and Badrinath. Rescuers managed to save 33 individuals before adverse weather forced a suspension of operations as night fell.Personnel from the Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) stationed in Mana have resumed the search mission on Saturday morning. More than 65 rescuers are engaged in the high-altitude operation, as the trapped workers have now been under the snow for over 24 hours.
Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman highlighted the difficulties faced by rescue teams, citing nearly seven feet of accumulated snow near the avalanche site as a major obstacle.
Chief Minister’s Visit Expected
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is expected to visit the site to assess the situation and oversee rescue efforts.The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority has released a list of the trapped labourers, revealing that they hail from various states, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir. However, 10 individuals remain unidentified in terms of their state of origin.
Strategic Location of Mana Village
Located at an altitude of 3,200 metres, Mana is the last Indian village before the Tibet border and is situated just three kilometres from Badrinath. The region is prone to extreme weather conditions, making rescue operations particularly challenging.With a temporary improvement in weather, rescue teams are working against time to locate and extract the trapped workers. Authorities remain hopeful that the use of aerial support will expedite the mission and improve the chances of survival for those still buried under the snow.
Further updates will follow as the situation develops.
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