Jobaaj Stories
A terrible avalanche hit Chamoli, Uttarakhand, early on Friday morning, trapping workers from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) under heavy snow. The avalanche struck between 5:30 am and 6 am, near Mana village, which is on the India-Tibet border.
So far, 48 workers have been rescued, but seven are still trapped. The rescue teams are working hard despite difficult conditions, with snowstorms and poor visibility making the efforts even harder. The weather is getting worse, and the Meteorological Department has issued a rain and snowfall warning for the region.
The workers, from states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh, were in a BRO camp when the avalanche hit. Four of the rescued workers are seriously injured and are being treated at a nearby ITBP camp in Mana.
Rescue operations are being led by the Indian Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Over 100 soldiers are working in the snow, with help from helicopters. The Indian Air Force has also sent helicopters to assist in the operation.
Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, is closely monitoring the situation. The state government has set up helplines for people seeking information about the rescue.
Uttarakhand: The Mana avalanche rescue operation has started with helicopter rescues from Joshimath base camp. Two helicopters were sent to Badrinath Dham, with one returning from Mana pic.twitter.com/btS9IkR8Hd
— IANS (@ians_india) March 1, 2025
Residents of Mana village have said that the BRO camp is usually closed in winter, but it stayed open this year because there wasn’t much snow earlier. This decision has led to the workers being trapped.
In nearby states like Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, bad weather has caused major problems. Many roads are blocked, and several vehicles have been swept away by floods. The weather has also caused one tourist death in Himachal Pradesh and injuries to others.
Rescue operations are still ongoing, and everyone is hoping for the safe return of the trapped workers in Uttarakhand.
