Chamoli: Four of the 50 workers of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), who were rescued after a massive avalanche hit Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on Friday, succumbed during treatment on Saturday. Meanwhile, five workers are still trapped.
On Friday, a total of 55 BRO construction workers were trapped under snow after an avalanche hit a labour Camp, located between Mana and Badrinath. After the avalanche, the workers inside eight containers and one shed got buried under the snow, as per an initial statement by the Indian Army. The avalanche struck at around 7.15 am on February 28.
According to the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority, the trapped workers are from Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and other states. Notably, Mana is the last village on the India-Tibet border.
Over 100 personnel's personnel from Ibex Brigade, were immediately mobilised comprising doctors ambulances and plant equipment were immediately deployed.
On Saturday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the avalanche-affected area near Mana and took stock of the relief and rescue operations.
Dhami said that over 23 workers had been rescued from the avalanche site and some of them who sustained serious injuries, were airlifted to Joshimath for medical treatment.
"... There were 8 containers at the site, out of which five have been traced. The 14 people rescued this morning were also in one of the containers. Operations are underway to locate the three remaining containers..." Dhami said.
"Also, after getting detailed information from the military officers and administrative teams engaged in the rescue work, he gave necessary instructions. The government is fully committed to providing all possible help to the affected people in this hour of crisis. The safety of the affected workers is our top priority. The administration, army and SDRF teams are continuously engaged in relief work," the CM said in an X post.
The Uttarakhand government has issued the following helpline numbers: Mobile No: 8218867005, 9058441404; Telephone No: 0135 2664315; Toll-Free No: 1070.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Uttarakhand Chief Minister and reviewed the rescue operation.
"Respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji spoke on the phone and took information about the rescue operation being carried out to safely evacuate the workers trapped in Mana of Chamoli district," CM Dhami posted on X
