Badrinath avalanche (File Image)
An avalanche hit Mana village near Badrinath in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, burying a camp of the Border Road Organisation (BRO). A total of 57 personnel were working on snow clearance, facilitating military movement along the India-To-Tibet border when the avalanche struck between Mana and Mana Pass. As of today, 32 workers have been rescued, while 25 remain missing, buried under the heavy snow, and may be critically injured.
The rescue operation is in close coordination between the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). According to Chamoli Additional District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari, the rescued workers were given medical rehabilitation at a military camp near Mana village, whereas some are with very critical injuries. Bad weather, heavy snowfall, and persistent rain combined to delay rescue operations.
The avalanche struck when the workers were clearing snow to facilitate army access. A release from the Indian Meteorological Department had warned of heavy rains and exceptionally high snowfall in most of the high-altitude areas. Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment also sent in some information about the avalanche threats in areas within Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh, and Bageshwar. But the intensity of disaster was not expected by any concerned party.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami assured all possible help by the government in the rescue of those trapped inside. "Of the 57 BRO workers, 16 have been rescued; the total number rescued so far is 32. ITBP, SDRF, and other agencies are performing the rescuing operation." The Union Home Minister Amit Shah also called up the Chief Minister to seek an assessment of the situation, urging that life is paramount and life saving is a priority.
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