A massive avalanche hit Badrinath in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Friday morning, trapping 57 workers engaged in snow-clearing operations to facilitate army movement. So far, 32 workers have been rescued, while 25 remain stranded near a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp in Mana village.
Rescue Operations Underway
The avalanche struck between Mana and Mana Pass, burying a BRO camp where the workers, employed by a private contractor, were stationed for road construction. Despite continuous snowfall and rain, rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and BRO are working tirelessly to locate and extract the stranded workers.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami assured that all efforts are being made to rescue the trapped personnel safely. He visited the state disaster control room to monitor the operations. “Our disaster management department and administration are on full alert,” Dhami stated.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh acknowledged the severity of the situation, confirming that the GREF (General Reserve Engineer Force) camp of BRO was affected. He spoke to CM Dhami and assured that all available resources are being used for rescue efforts.
Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari earlier issued an orange alert due to heavy snowfall and rainfall in the region. High-altitude areas, including Badrinath Dham, Hanumanchatti, Malari, and Auli, continue to experience severe weather conditions, complicating rescue operations.
Rescue teams remain on high alert, braving harsh weather to reach the trapped workers.