Massive Rescue in Uttarakhand Avalanche: 50 Safe, 4 Fatalities, 5 Still Trapped
Uttarakhand Avalanche: 50 Rescued, 4 Dead, Search Continues for 5 Missing Workers
The rescue and search operation for workers trapped in the Chamoli avalanche near Mana village is still underway. As per the latest updates, 50 people have been rescued so far. Unfortunately, four of them succumbed to their injuries during treatment, while five are still missing. Indian Army PRO Lt. Col. Manish Srivastava confirmed this while providing updates on the rescue mission. Meanwhile, senior army officials are arriving in Joshimath to oversee the ongoing operations. The avalanche struck early Friday morning near Mana, a village close to the India-China border in Chamoli district. A total of 55 workers were caught in the disaster. Since Friday, a massive rescue operation has been in progress to bring them to safety. According to Lt. Col. Srivastava, four workers lost their lives due to the avalanche, and the search for the remaining five is still ongoing. Currently, 46 workers are confirmed safe. Due to blocked roads, six helicopters have been deployed for evacuation efforts. This morning, 23 workers were airlifted to Joshimath, and BRO personnel trapped in the avalanche are also being transported via aerial routes. So far, 47 out of the 55 trapped workers have been rescued.
Earlier today, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami arrived at the Joshimath Army helipad, where he met with injured workers and inquired about their condition. He first conducted an aerial survey of the affected site and then visited Mana village and the Army camp in Joshimath. During his visit, CM Dhami spoke to army officials and rescue personnel, appreciating their relentless efforts and boosting their morale. The disaster struck on Friday morning near the BRO camp in Mana village. At the time of the incident, 55 workers were resting in their camp due to ongoing snowfall. They had been engaged in construction work for the past few days but were staying indoors due to heavy snow. The sudden avalanche buried the area under 6 to 8 feet of snow, making rescue operations extremely challenging for the army and ITBP teams. Despite these difficulties, teams managed to carve out a path and evacuate trapped workers. With improved weather conditions this morning, helicopter evacuations resumed, speeding up the operation. The rescue mission is being carried out with joint efforts from the central and state governments, along with various agencies working in coordination with the Indian Army.
