Uttarakhand: Massive avalanche strikes Chamoli; 47 workers trapped, 10 rescued and sent to Army camp
PTC Web Desk: A massive avalanche struck Mana village near the Indo-Tibetan border in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, reportedly burying 57 workers engaged in road construction. As many as 10 workers have been rescued and shifted to an Army camp near Mana in critical condition, while rescue operations continue.
The incident occurred about 3 km ahead of Badrinath Dham, close to a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp. Due to heavy snowfall, emergency response efforts have faced delays. BRO Executive Engineer C.R. Meena told ANI that three to four ambulances were dispatched to the location, but accessibility remains a challenge. Around 60-65 personnel are involved in the rescue mission.
Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), district administration, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and BRO are on-site, working tirelessly to locate and evacuate the trapped workers.
Expressing concern over the incident, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "I pray to Lord Badri Vishal for the safety of all the labour brothers."
जनपद चमोली में माणा गांव के निकट BRO द्वारा संचालित निर्माण कार्य के दौरान हिमस्खलन की वजह से कई मजदूरों के दबने का दुःखद समाचार प्राप्त हुआ।
ITBP, BRO और अन्य बचाव दलों द्वारा राहत एवं बचाव कार्य संचालित किया जा रहा है।
भगवान बदरी विशाल से सभी श्रमिक भाइयों के सुरक्षित होने की… — Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) February 28, 2025
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for heavy rainfall in several hilly regions, including Uttarakhand, predicting up to 20 cm of rain until late Friday night. The IMD warned of possible local flooding, waterlogging, reduced visibility, traffic disruptions, and minor damage to unpaved roads.
Thunderstorm with Lightning, Hail and Gusty winds (30-40 kmph) likely over Haryana and West Uttar Pradesh and with heavy rainfall (upto 12 cm) over Punjab and with very heavy rainfall (upto 20cm) over Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand upto late night hours of 28th February 2025.… pic.twitter.com/tSMbBn67ho — India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) February 28, 2025
- With inputs from agencies
