Avalanche Hits Badrinath: 57 Workers Trapped, 16 Rescued as Efforts Continue
An avalanche struck Badrinath in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, trapping 57 workers engaged in clearing snow for army movement. So far, 16 workers have been rescued, while 41 remain stranded after the avalanche impacted a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp near Mana village. Rescue operations are ongoing.
Badrinath Avalanche: Rescue Efforts Intensify as 41 Workers Remain Trapped
The avalanche struck between Mana and Mana Pass in the morning, trapping 57 workers at a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp, Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari confirmed. The workers, employed by a private contractor for road construction, were caught in the snowstorm.
Despite continuous snowfall and rain, rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rushed to the site, located around 300 km from Dehradun. The Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and BRO teams are also actively involved in the operation.
“Out of the 57 BRO labourers trapped, 16 have been rescued. Efforts are ongoing to save the remaining workers,” said Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. He assured that the ITBP and other agencies are assisting in the rescue, and the entire administration is on high alert.
“Our priority is to ensure everyone’s safe evacuation as soon as possible,” he added.
CM Dhami Reviews Rescue Efforts as Defence Minister Assures Support
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami assessed the ongoing rescue operations for the trapped workers, reaching the state disaster control room to review the situation firsthand.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the incident on social media platform X, stating, “An unfortunate avalanche has occurred in the Mana area of Joshimath (Uttarakhand) today, impacting the GREF camp of BRO. I spoke to CM Shri @pushkardhami regarding the situation. The administration is providing all possible assistance to those affected. Rescue efforts by local Army units are also underway, with all available resources being deployed to save the trapped personnel.”
Earlier, Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari confirmed that an orange alert had been issued for the district due to heavy snowfall and rainfall.
“Higher altitude areas like Badrinath Dham, Hanumanchatti, Malari, and Auli are witnessing heavy snowfall, while other tehsils are experiencing continuous rain,” he said.
