A day after a massive avalanche struck a high-altitude Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp near Mana village in Uttarakhand’s Badrinath, four injured labourers have succumbed to their injuries at the Army Hospital, the Indian Army confirmed on Saturday.
The rescue operation remains ongoing as teams work tirelessly to locate and save the remaining five personnel still trapped under the snow. A total of six helicopters have been deployed to transport the rescued workers to Joshimath for urgent medical care.
Rescue Efforts in Full Swing
Public Relations Officer (PRO) and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence, Lt Col Manish Shrivastava, stated earlier, “The injured are being prioritised for evacuation.” According to reports, at least 23 individuals have already been transported to Joshimath for treatment.
14 more personnel have been rescued and evacuted from avalanche site by Indian Army this morning.
Search and Rescue operations continuing for more than 24 hours. With slight respite in the weather, three injured personnel evacuated from Mana to… pic.twitter.com/BdcRNYJV84
— SuryaCommand_IA (@suryacommand) March 1, 2025
The Indian Army, along with disaster response teams, is racing against time to rescue the remaining trapped workers. Since the early hours of Day 2, rescue teams have managed to evacuate an additional 17 personnel, bringing the total number of rescued workers to 50. Among them, three critically injured individuals were airlifted to Joshimath on civil helicopters as weather conditions showed slight improvement.
Challenges Due to Harsh Weather Conditions
Despite the relentless efforts, the search operation has been hindered by heavy snowfall and the looming threat of further avalanches. On Day 1, search teams successfully rescued 33 workers. However, as night fell, operations had to be halted due to low visibility and extreme weather conditions.
Heavy snowfall has complicated operations, with ongoing small-scale avalanches slowing progress. (Photo: @suryacommand/X)
Uttarakhand’s Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman acknowledged the difficulties in the operation, stating, “The remaining search operation will be tricky due to nearly seven feet of snow around the avalanche site.”
The avalanche struck at approximately 7:15 AM on Friday, trapping 55 workers who were engaged in clearing snow to facilitate army movement in Mana, the last village on the Indo-Tibetan border. Eight containers and one shed were buried under the snow.
Ongoing Search for Trapped Workers
Union Defence Ministry spokesperson Lt Col Suneel Bartwal confirmed that efforts to locate and rescue the trapped workers inside the remaining three containers are in progress. “The Indian Army’s swift response teams, comprising more than 100 personnel from the Ibex Brigade, were immediately mobilised, including doctors, ambulances, and plant equipment,” Bartwal added.
By late Friday morning, rescue teams had traced five containers, successfully pulling out 10 individuals alive, though four remain in critical condition. (Photo: @suryacommand/X)
By 11:50 AM on Friday, search teams had located five containers and rescued ten individuals. However, the condition of four out of these ten workers remains critical. Due to ongoing small-scale avalanches in the region, rescue operations are progressing with extreme caution.
The General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF), a unit under BRO, is actively clearing snow-laden roads to ensure the smooth transport of additional medical aid from Joshimath to Mana.
Government’s Response and Assurance
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is closely monitoring the rescue efforts and remains in constant touch with officials. He spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who assured him of full central government support in dealing with the crisis.
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“Respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji spoke on the phone and took information about the rescue operation being carried out to safely evacuate the workers trapped in Mana of Chamoli district. He also took detailed information on the situation of rain and snowfall in the state. During this, the Prime Minister assured that the central government will provide all possible assistance to deal with any emergency,” Dhami posted on X.
Rescue teams are battling extreme weather conditions, including heavy snowfall, which has delayed the arrival of ambulances and other aid. (Photo: @suryacommand/X)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also extended his support and emphasized the priority of rescuing the remaining workers. “Spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Shri @pushkardhami, DG ITBP, and DG NDRF regarding the glacier burst in Chamoli. Rescuing those trapped in the incident is our top priority,” he posted on X.
Trapped Workers from Multiple States
According to the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority, the trapped workers hail from various states, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir.
As the rescue operations continue under extreme weather conditions, authorities remain committed to ensuring the safety of all trapped personnel. Further updates on the operation are expected as teams work round-the-clock to complete the mission.
