Uttarakhand Avalanche: Four Dead, Five Still Missing at BRO Camp in Mana Village

An avalanche struck a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp in the high-altitude Mana village of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district early Friday morning, leaving at least four labourers dead. Rescue teams are racing against time to locate five others still trapped beneath the snow.

Swift Rescue Operation Underway​

According to an Army spokesperson, the avalanche hit between Mana and Badrinath between 5:30 am and 6 am on Friday, burying 55 workers within eight containers and a shed. So far, 50 labourers have been successfully rescued. Tragically, four of these individuals have succumbed to their injuries, while five remain missing.

As rescue efforts intensified, 33 workers had been pulled out safely by Friday night itself. The injured labourers have been prioritized for urgent medical evacuation to minimize further casualties.

Army and Air Force Helicopters Deployed​

To accelerate rescue operations, six helicopters—including three from the Indian Army Aviation, two from the Indian Air Force (IAF), and one civil helicopter contracted by the Army—are actively involved in locating and evacuating the trapped workers.

Senior Army Officials Oversee Rescue Efforts​

Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) Central Command, along with Lt Gen D G Mishra, GOC Uttar Bharat Area, have reached the avalanche-hit site to personally monitor and guide the rescue operations.

Roads Impassable, Search Efforts Challenging​

Highlighting the challenging situation, Lt Gen Sengupta explained that road access to the site is completely blocked due to heavy snowfall, with the Badrinath-Joshimath highway obstructed at approximately 15-20 locations.

Out of the eight containers initially buried, five have been located, from which most of the rescued labourers were recovered. However, three containers remain missing, adding urgency and complexity to ongoing search operations.

Authorities continue their relentless efforts to locate the remaining five labourers amidst harsh weather conditions and snow-covered terrain.