Dehradun, March 1: Fifty workers trapped under heavy snow at a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp in Mana village of Uttarakhand's Chamoli district have been rescued, but tragically, four of them succumbed to injuries on Saturday. Rescue teams continue their intensive search operation, urgently working to find five labourers who remain missing.
Avalanche Hits BRO Camp Near Badrinath
The avalanche struck between 5:30 am and 6 am on Friday, engulfing 55 workers inside eight containers and a shed at the BRO camp located between Mana and Badrinath. By late Friday night, 33 of the workers were safely extracted. However, rescue operations had to be suspended overnight due to adverse weather conditions, including heavy snowfall and rainfall.Rescue Efforts Escalate with Weather Improvement
Rescue operations resumed swiftly on Saturday morning as weather conditions improved, enabling Army personnel and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) stationed at Mana to intensify their efforts. District Disaster Management Officer N.K. Joshi confirmed that the operation had gained momentum following improved visibility and clearing skies.Six helicopters, comprising three from Indian Army Aviation, two from the Indian Air Force (IAF), and one civilian helicopter hired by the Army, are actively participating in evacuating injured labourers and locating those still trapped.
Senior Army Officials on Ground Monitoring Situation
Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Command, and Lt Gen D.G. Mishra, General Officer Commanding of the Uttar Bharat Area, have reached the avalanche site to personally oversee rescue activities. Lt Gen Sengupta highlighted the challenges, stating road access was severely restricted due to heavy snow accumulation, with the critical Badrinath-Joshimath highway blocked at approximately 15-20 locations.Injured Labourers Receiving Immediate Medical Care
Of the rescued workers, two severely injured individuals have been airlifted to AIIMS-Rishikesh for advanced treatment. Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari informed that eleven others were admitted to the Army hospital in Jyotirmath, where one patient remains in critical condition. Specialist doctors are closely monitoring the condition of the injured.Chief Minister Dhami Conducts Aerial Survey, PM Modi Assures Support
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami personally conducted an aerial survey of the affected area and interacted with an injured worker being airlifted for treatment. He directed officials to expedite rescue operations and assured swift action from the state administration.Prime Minister Narendra Modi communicated with CM Dhami over the phone, seeking comprehensive details of rescue operations and weather conditions. PM Modi pledged the Central government's full support in managing the ongoing crisis.
Families Anxiously Await Updates on Missing Workers
Four workers from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh were among those trapped. Their families expressed confidence in the Uttarakhand government's rescue efforts. A family member of one of the workers, Vivek, shared that he recently married and has a young daughter, hoping for his safe return.Meanwhile, uncertainty surrounds the status of Ram Sujan Singh, a supervisor from Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, who has not been heard from since Monday. Although Singh is officially listed among those trapped, Ballia's Superintendent of Police, Omveer Singh, stated that he had no information regarding Singh’s condition.
Search for Missing Containers Continues Amidst Weather Concerns
The rescue teams have successfully traced five of the eight containers buried under snow. Operations are ongoing to locate the remaining three containers, which are presumed to be holding the five missing workers. The government is also working towards installing radar equipment to improve search effectiveness.CM Dhami highlighted a worrying observation during his aerial survey, noting the Alaknanda river's flow was obstructed by heavy snow deposits.
As weather conditions begin to deteriorate once again, authorities remain hopeful yet cautious, as rescue helicopters continue to make crucial sorties in the race against time to find and safely retrieve all missing workers.
