A devastating avalanche in Mana village, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, has left 22 Border Roads Organisation (BRO) workers trapped under snow, with rescue operations temporarily halted due to worsening weather conditions. Out of the 55 workers initially reported trapped, 33 have been rescued, but the fate of the remaining 22 remains uncertain. The incident occurred early Friday morning, burying the BRO camp under nearly seven feet of snow.
The Rishikesh-Badrinath highway near Karnaprayag has been blocked due to debris from the avalanche, compounded by continuous rainfall in the region. Over 65 personnel, including teams from the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), have been deployed for rescue efforts. However, fresh avalanches and heavy snowfall have forced a pause in operations.
Four of the rescued workers are in critical condition and are being treated at the ITBP camp in Mana. The trapped workers hail from states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir, with ten still unidentified.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have assured that all resources are being utilized to rescue the trapped workers. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to deploy Mi-17 helicopters to assist in the mission.
Local residents noted that the BRO camp, typically closed during winter due to avalanche risks, remained operational this year due to initially low snowfall. The Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE) had issued an avalanche warning for the region, but the disaster struck nonetheless.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed officials to prioritize reopening the Mana helipad for airlifting the injured and ensuring proper medical arrangements. A disaster control room has been set up in Joshimath, and helpline numbers have been issued for affected families. The massive rescue operation continues, with hopes pinned on improving weather conditions to save lives.
