On Friday, February 28, an avalanche struck a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp close to Mana village in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, killing four workers and leaving four more missing. Despite severe weather and a lot of snow, rescue efforts are ongoing. At 3,200 metres above sea level, Mana is the final village on the India-Tibet border, 3km from Badrinath.
Rescue Efforts After The Uttarakhand Avalanche
Fifty workers have been rescued thus far, and more are being treated. It is thought that the missing workers are buried behind containers in the snow. According to The Times of India, sniffer dogs and ground penetration radar are being used by specialised rescue teams, such as the Army and ITBP.
Five workers were reported missing, however, one of them, Sunil Kumar from Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, made it home safely on his own. The search is now concentrated on the four workers who are still missing, according to the most recent rescue bulletins from the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA).
According to the Army, 55 personnel were buried inside eight containers and a shed when the avalanche struck the BRO camp between Mana and Badrinath between 5:30 and 6 am on Friday. By Friday evening, thirty-three of them had been saved, and on Saturday, seventeen. The rescue operation was halted as darkness fell on Friday due to the difficulties caused by the rain and snowstorm.
According to District Disaster Management official N.K. Joshi, the Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officers stationed in Mana resumed the rescue effort on Saturday morning as the weather improved. According to Lieutenant Colonel Manish Shrivastava, the Army’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), six helicopters have been involved in the operation: three from the Indian Army Aviation Corps, two from the Indian Air Force (IAF), and a civil aircraft that the Army chartered.
Also Read: Uttarakhands Glaciers Have Shrunk Over 21 Sq. Km In 23 Years According To A Study
4 Dead & 4 Missing
Four rescued workers were also confirmed dead by the USDMA. According to the report, three people died in Badrinath-Mana and one in Jyotirmath while receiving treatment. According to the USDMA, the deceased were identified as Alok Yadav from Uttarakhand, Manjit Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, and Mohindra Pal and Jitendra Singh from Himachal Pradesh. It also stated that Ashok from Uttar Pradesh, Anil Kumar and Arvind Singh from Uttarakhand, and Harmesh Chand from Himachal Pradesh are the four workers who are still unaccounted for.
According to Army sources, the Army and IAF helicopters conducted the majority of Saturday’s rescue effort because the approach road was partially covered by snow, making it practically difficult for vehicles to move. They stated that finding the four missing workers and transporting the recovered workers to the Army hospital in Jyotirmath are the top priorities.
According to officials, two of the 24 injured individuals who were taken to the Army hospital were referred to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rishikesh.
Cover Image Credits: Preetihonagudi & RealBababanaras/ X
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