Uttarakhand Avalanche: Rescue Efforts Intensify | 4 Missing

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

• Massive avalanche hits BRO camp near Mana village in Uttarakhand, burying 54 workers.
• Rescue teams have saved 50 workers; 4 tragically died.
• Search continues for 4 missing laborers using advanced technology.
• Heavy snowfall and rain hampered rescue efforts, but weather is now clear.
• CM Dhami conducted aerial survey; PM Modi assured full support.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

A massive avalanche struck a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp near Mana village in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, burying 54 workers under snow. Rescue teams have saved 50 people so far, but four workers tragically lost their lives. The search continues for the remaining four missing laborers, with multiple agencies using advanced technology and aerial support to locate them. The avalanche caused significant damage to the area and impacted the workers stationed there, prompting an intensive rescue operation to find those still missing.

Rescue Efforts in Chamoli: A total of 50 workers have been rescued from the avalanche-hit BRO camp. Sadly, four of them died—one during treatment in Jyotirmath and three in Badrinath-Mana. The deceased have been identified as Mohindra Pal and Jitendra Singh from Himachal Pradesh, Manjit Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, and Alok Yadav from Uttarakhand. Authorities are now focused on locating the four missing laborers—Harmesh Chand from Himachal Pradesh, Ashok from Uttar Pradesh, and Anil Kumar and Arvind Singh from Uttarakhand.

Hampered by Weather: Heavy snowfall and rain hampered rescue efforts on Friday, forcing operations to be suspended overnight. However, with clear weather on Sunday, the pace of the mission has increased. Personnel from the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are working tirelessly to locate the missing workers. Over 200 personnel are engaged in the high-intensity rescue operation. Furthermore, sniffer dogs have been sent to Chamoli to help with rescue operations.

Rescue Operation Details: Initially, five workers were reported missing. However, Sunil Kumar from Himachal Pradesh managed to reach home safely on his own, lowering the number of missing workers to four. The avalanche buried eight worker accommodations (containers) at the BRO camp. While five were found earlier, the remaining three have now been located. Unfortunately, no workers were found inside them, increasing concerns about the fate of the missing laborers.

Use of Advanced Technology: Specialized rescue tools such as Victim Locating Cameras (VLC), Thermal Imaging Cameras, Ground Penetration Radar (brought from Delhi), and avalanche rescue dogs have been deployed to detect buried individuals. If weather permits, drones, quadcopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will also be used in the search.

Aerial Support: Six helicopters, including three from the Army Aviation Corps, two from the Indian Air Force (IAF), and a civil helicopter hired by the Army, have been engaged in the rescue efforts. The Indian Air Force’s Cheetah helicopters continue to airlift injured workers to the Army Hospital in Joshimath.

Road Access Blocked: The avalanche blocked the Badrinath-Joshimath highway at 15–20 locations, making it nearly impossible for rescue teams to reach the site by road. As a result, the Army and IAF helicopters are playing a crucial role in transporting rescuers and equipment.

Lieutenant General Anindya Sengupta, GOC-in-C, Central Command, and Lieutenant General DG Mishra, GOC, Uttar Bharat, have reached the avalanche site to oversee operations. According to Lieutenant General Sengupta, the road remains inaccessible due to snow, further complicating rescue efforts.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted an aerial survey of the avalanche site and praised rescue teams for their swift action. He directed officials to continue the search on a war footing. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took an update on the situation and assured full support from central agencies.

Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember

• Avalanche hits BRO camp in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, burying 54 workers.
• Rescue teams saved 50; sadly, 4 died in the Uttarakhand avalanche.
• The search for 4 missing laborers continues using high tech rescue methods.
• Rescue efforts were hampered by weather, but it’s now clear.
• CM Dhami and PM Modi ensured full support for rescue operations in the Uttarakhand disaster.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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