The glacier broke on the National Highway connecting Mana Ghastauli in Chamoli district. As per the information, 57 workers were buried in snow, out of which 16 were rescued.
#WATCH | Heavy snowfall continues near Mana in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
57 labourers engaged in snow clearance near Mana trapped after an avalanche hit the area. 10 labourers have been rescued; search and rescue mission for the remaining persons is underway.
(Video… pic.twitter.com/BpFHWVgXbA
— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2025
The state administration and a Border Roads Organisation team have left for the spot. Indian Army’s IBEX BRIGADE swiftly launched rescue operations inspite of continuing heavy snowfall and minor avalanches.
An avalanche struck a GREF Camp near Mana village in Garhwal Sector. A number of labourers are feared to be trapped. Indian Army’s IBEX BRIGADE swiftly launched rescue operations inspite of continuing heavy snowfall and minor avalanches. So far 10… pic.twitter.com/adVcAu9g4g
— SuryaCommand_IA (@suryacommand) February 28, 2025
The Army said a BRO Labour Camp, located between Mana and Badrinath, was struck by an avalanche on Feb 28, around 7:15 am which resulted in burying 57 workers inside eight containers and one shed. More than 100 personnel from the Ibex Brigade of the Army were immediately mobilised. The Army said the teams rescued 10 workers out of which four are reported to be in critical condition.
Search operations are ongoing for the remaining three containers, the Army added.
These workers were engaged in road construction by a private contractor.
Mana, three kilometres from Badrinath, is the last village on the India-Tibet border at a height of 3,200 metres.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said all efforts were being taken to rescue the trapped personnel by utilising all available resources. “An unfortunate avalanche has occurred in the Mana area of Joshimath (Uttarakhand) today impacting the GREF (general reserve engineering force) camp of BRO. Spoke to CM Pushkar Dhami regarding the situation. The administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected,” he said in a post on X.
Uttarakhand Police Headquarters spokesperson IG Nilesh Anand Bharne told ANI, “A massive avalanche has occurred near the Border Roads Organisation camp in the border area of Mana in which 57 workers engaged in road construction have been trapped. Out of these workers, 10 workers have been rescued and sent to the army camp near Mana in critical condition.”
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the relief and rescue operations are being carried out by ITBP, BRO and other rescue teams.
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
Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari told ANI that 57 labourers of BRO, who undertake snow-clearing operations, had camped there. “There is active rainfall and snowfall activities there. So, we are unable to deploy heli-services. Movement is difficult. Since satellite phones and other such equipment are not available there, we have not been able to have a clear communication with them. But we have not received any official information of any casualty.”
First Published: Feb 28, 2025 2:04 PM IST
