Dehradun: Thirty-three of the 55 Border Roads Organisation (BRO) workers trapped under an avalanche in Mana, Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, have been rescued. However, concerns are rising over the fate of the remaining 22 workers as rescue operations were temporarily halted due to worsening weather conditions.

Updating the situation, Uttarakhand Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman confirmed that 33 workers had been rescued, while 22 remain unaccounted for. He clarified that the initial report of 57 trapped workers was incorrect, as two were on leave at the time of the incident.

Challenging rescue operations amid deep snow

The Rishikesh-Badrinath highway near Karnaprayag has been blocked due to the falling of mountain debris. Continuous rainfall in the region has caused debris to accumulate at various points along the highway, leading to its closure.

The avalanche, which struck early on Friday morning, buried the BRO camp under nearly seven feet of snow. More than 65 personnel have been deployed for rescue efforts. Teams battled treacherous terrain and icy temperatures to reach the trapped workers, initially pulling out 10 before rescuing others.

The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority released a list identifying the trapped labourers, who hail from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir. Ten workers remain unidentified by state.

Four rescued workers in critical condition

Four of those rescued are in critical condition, according to an Army Public Relations Officer. All rescued workers were taken to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) camp in Mana for treatment.

Located three kilometres from Badrinath, Mana is the last Indian village before the Tibet border, sitting at an altitude of 3,200 metres. Visuals from the site showed rescuers wading through deep snow in a bleak, white landscape.

Rescue efforts halted due to fresh avalanches

Operations were suspended due to adverse weather and the threat of further avalanches. Two smaller avalanches followed the main one. The incident occurred between 5:30 am and 6 am, burying the workers in eight containers and a shed.

More than 100 personnel from the Army’s Ibex Brigade, trained in high-altitude rescues, were mobilised immediately. The team included doctors and ambulances. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) also dispatched teams to the site, approximately 300 km from Dehradun, despite ongoing snowfall and rain.

Government prioritises rescue mission

Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that rescuing those trapped remains the government’s top priority. He confirmed discussions with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and senior officials of ITBP and NDRF.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assured that all available resources were being utilised to aid the rescue. “An unfortunate avalanche has occurred in the Mana area of Joshimath, impacting a GREF camp of BRO. Spoke to CM Shri @pushkardhami regarding the situation. The administration is providing all assistance to the affected,” he posted on X.

The NDRF has deployed four teams to Chamoli, with four additional units on standby, according to NDRF Director General Piyush Anand. Two teams were sent from Dehradun’s Regional Response Centre, while two others were diverted from Joshimath, where they had been conducting a familiarisation exercise.

Bad weather hampers relief efforts

Heavy snowfall and rain continue to impede rescue teams. Chamoli Disaster Management Officer N K Joshi said Army and ITBP personnel stationed in Mana have been working since the morning. However, teams from outside have struggled to reach the site due to harsh conditions.

Local residents noted that the BRO camp, which is usually closed during winter due to avalanche risks, remained operational this year because of initially low snowfall. "The camp was not closed this year due to a lack of snowfall, which is why these people got trapped," said Mana village headman Pitambar Singh.

Weather warnings issued before disaster

The Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE) in Chandigarh had issued an avalanche warning on Thursday for locations above 2,400 metres in Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh, and Bageshwar districts.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had also predicted isolated heavy rain and snowfall in areas above 3,500 metres in Uttarakhand. Following this, the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) alerted district magistrates to prepare for potential emergencies.

Massive rescue operation underway

Brigade Commander Mandeep Dhillon detailed the efforts, saying seven officers, 17 junior commissioned officers (JCOs), and 150 soldiers had been working since 8 am to rescue the workers.

“The team is working relentlessly in challenging conditions to save lives. There is also a specialised medical team of three doctors, four ambulances, and engineers... Working to rescue trapped personnel and reopen the Mana-Joshimath route,” he said.

Chief Minister Dhami earlier stated that 16 workers had been rescued and reaffirmed efforts to bring all trapped labourers to safety.

Helpline set up, IAF to assist in rescue efforts

In an X post, Dhami expressed sorrow over the incident, saying, “Received the sad news about several labourers getting trapped in an avalanche near Mana during BRO construction work. I pray to Lord Badri Vishal for their safety.”

Workers from Jharkhand are also among those feared trapped, but exact numbers remain unclear. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren posted on X, saying reports suggest several workers from his state are trapped under the glacier.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will deploy Mi-17 helicopters on Saturday morning to assist in rescue efforts.

Dhami held a late-night meeting with senior officials at SEOC, instructing them to set up a disaster control room in Joshimath. He ordered the NDRF, SDRF, ITBP, and Army to work in coordination to clear snow from the affected site.

The Mana helipad is to be prioritised for reopening to enable airlifting of the injured. Dhami directed officials to ensure proper medical arrangements at hospitals, including AIIMS Rishikesh, where critically injured patients could be airlifted if necessary.

He stressed that the safe evacuation of trapped workers remains the government’s top priority, adding that helpline numbers are being issued for families of those affected.

With PTI inputs