Uttarakhand Avalanche Rescue Ends with Eight Dead, 46 Rescued

A three-day operation concluded after a massive avalanche buried workers at a Border Roads Organisation camp near Mana village in Chamoli district.

A devastating avalanche struck a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp near Mana village in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district early Friday morning, burying 54 workers under snow and debris.
Rescue teams successfully saved 46 workers, while eight lost their lives; the operation faced challenges such as heavy snowfall, near-zero visibility, and freezing temperatures at over 3,200 meters altitude.
The rescue effort involved over 200 personnel from the Army, ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, and other state and national agencies, employing advanced technology like drones, thermal imaging cameras, and ground-penetrating radar.
Helicopters, including MI-17 and Cheetah choppers, were used to airlift survivors for treatment, with two critically injured workers sent to AIIMS Rishikesh.
Authorities have issued advisories to relocate workers from high-risk Himalayan regions during avalanche-prone months, emphasizing the need for safety measures in such fragile environments.