DEHRADUN, Mar 1: Search efforts for 22 workers trapped beneath feet of snow in the high-altitude Mana village, located in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, resumed early Saturday morning as the weather improved.
Helicopters may be utilized for the operation if weather conditions allow, according to officials.
Out of the 55 labourers from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) who were caught in the avalanche on Friday, 33 have been rescued. The rescue operation was stalled due to rain and snowfall and was suspended overnight.
The snow slide, which engulfed the BRO camp situated between Mana and Badrinath, occurred early Friday morning.
Both private and Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters are on standby to support the rescue efforts, dependent on weather conditions. The nearest airstrip in Gauchar is ready for use, stated Chamoli District Disaster Management Officer N K Joshi.
Currently, the sky is partly cloudy, but once conditions improve, helicopters will be employed, he noted.
Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel stationed in Mana have resumed their rescue efforts, he added.
A break in rain and snowfall would greatly assist in locating the 22 workers trapped under the snow for over 24 hours now.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is expected to visit the site of the avalanche.
A list released by the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority indicates the trapped workers hail from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir, among other states. A total of 10 names are listed without specifying the states they originate from.
Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman mentioned that the rescue operation is quite challenging due to the seven feet of snow present near the avalanche site.
Over 65 personnel are engaged in these rescue efforts, he stated.
Mana is situated three kilometers from Badrinath and is the last village along the India-Tibet border, located at an elevation of 3,200 meters. (Agencies)
