An avalanche in Uttarakhand has resulted in the tragic loss of eight road construction workers, with rescue efforts highlighting the challenges of extreme weather conditions.
Avalanche Tragedy Claims Lives of Eight Workers in Uttarakhand, India
Avalanche Tragedy Claims Lives of Eight Workers in Uttarakhand, India
Severe weather impacts rescue operations as teams recover trapped workers from snow
Eight road workers lost their lives after being buried by an avalanche in Uttarakhand, northern India, as reported by the Indian Army on Sunday. The workers were trapped early Friday in the village of Mana, where a powerful avalanche struck their construction site, leading to frantic rescue operations.
Rescue teams, working under treacherous conditions of heavy snowfall and rain, managed to evacuate 46 additional workers trapped beneath several feet of snow. The efforts were complicated by the ongoing harsh weather conditions, resulting in multiple halts during the rescue mission. To locate the buried individuals, disaster response teams utilized GPS technology, sniffer dogs, and thermal imaging.
The Indian Meteorological Department has alerted locals about the ongoing risk of further avalanches in the region, a known hub for Himalayan trekking. Many of the rescued individuals were found in critical health and were airlifted to nearby hospitals in Joshimath. The workers were affiliated with the Border Roads Organization, a key division of the Indian armed forces responsible for maintaining roads in remote border areas of India.
Situated at an altitude of 3,200 meters (over 10,000 feet), Mana is approximately 15 miles from the Tibetan border. During the winter season, the village’s residents commonly migrate to lower altitudes to escape the debilitating snowfall. Uttarakhand has a history of natural disasters, with severe floods in 2013 resulting in the deaths of over a thousand individuals. In a prior incident in 2021, another avalanche claimed the lives of 11 workers at a Border Roads Organization camp within the same district that encompasses Mana.
Pragati K.B. is a dedicated journalist based in New Delhi, providing comprehensive coverage of significant events throughout India.
