Dehradun: Rescue teams of the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) face a daunting task in rescuing remaining trapped workers after they pulled out of the snow from the site of an avalanche-hit BRO camp in Mana village in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district 50 of the evacuated people.
The rescue teams will zero in on the remaining workers on Sunday. The search operation using GPR (ground penetrating radar) will be carried out, and thermal imaging cameras and victim location cameras will be utilised to assist in the search. Officials earlier said four of them died on Saturday as rescuers raced against time to trace four more labourers feared trapped.
According to the latest rescue updates provided by the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA), five labourers were missing. Still, one of them — Sunil Kumar from Kangra in Himachal Pradesh — has reached home safely on his own and now, the search is focused on the four remaining workers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah closely monitored the rescue operations, led by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, providing instructions at regular intervals. Among the five missing workers, one from Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, has safely returned home. The search for the remaining four missing workers continues, with rescue teams working tirelessly.
The army’s sniffer dogs are also being utilised. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Dhami received latest updates on the rescue operations from Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman and district magistrate of Chamoli, Sandeep Tiwari, late in the evening. He has directed a comprehensive search and rescue operation to find the missing workers.
Under the Chief Minister’s directive, rescue and relief efforts continued late into Saturday evening to search for the missing workers. The Indian Army, ITBP, NDRF, and SDRF are conducting intense search operations.
Disaster Management and Rehabilitation secretary Vinod Kumar Suman reported that on Saturday, 24 workers were transported from the army hospital in Mana to Joshimath, where they are being treated. Among them, two workers are in critical condition and have been referred to AIIMS Rishikesh. One patient has already been admitted to AIIMS, while arrangements are being made to bring the second patient.
Unfortunately, one worker has reportedly died in Joshimath. Additionally, 26 workers were rescued from Badrinath/Mana; among them; 23 are safe, while three have sadly lost their lives. The District Magistrate of Chamoli has instructed representatives of the Border Roads Organization (BRO) to contact the families of the missing workers to gather information.
Currently, four workers remain missing, and both the state and Union governments have directed rescue teams to locate them. By late Saturday evening, the relief and rescue teams had discovered all eight containers. Upon inspection, no workers were found inside. Due to the ongoing rescue operation, Disaster Management secretary Vinod Kumar Suman has requested the director of Jolly Grant Airport to extend the airport’s operational hours to 8:30 pm to accommodate the landing of the GPR dispatched from Delhi.
On Friday morning, between 5.30 and 6 am, a massive avalanche struck a camp of workers situated between Mana and Badrinath, burying 55 workers alive in eight containers and a shed. These workers were part of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in the high mountains of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. The Indian military and paramilitary forces acted swiftly to rescue the trapped workers, starting the rescue operations immediately.
By Friday evening, they managed to save 33 workers from the avalanche’s icy grip. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami took charge of the situation, marshalling all available resources and closely monitoring the rescue operations. By Friday evening, he was at the State Emergency Operations Center of the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) to ensure smooth and effective relief measures.
The rescue mission involved various prominent agencies, including the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), BRO, Health Department, local administrative bodies, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), and the Indian Air Force. However, rain, snowfall, and encroaching darkness forced the temporary halt of these Herculean efforts.
On Saturday morning, improved weather allowed the Indian Army and ITBP personnel to resume their challenging task. District Disaster Management Officer N.K. Joshi led the resumption of the rescue mission. Six helicopters, including three from the Indian Army Aviation, two from the Indian Air Force, and one civil helicopter hired by the Army, were involved in the effort to find and rescue the remaining workers.
The Indian Army also deployed a drone-based Intelligent Buried Object Detection system, brought in by the Indian Air Force, to assist with the search and rescue operations in the Mana area of Chamoli. Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta and Lt Gen D G Mishra arrived at the avalanche site to oversee the ongoing operations. However, Lt. Gen Sengupta reported that heavy snow had blocked the Badrinath-Joshimath highway at many points, making road movement impossible.
The Indian Air Force is working on war footing to rescue four missing personnel. Drone-based intelligent buried object detection system will be sent by air for rescue. Along with this, the army’s GPR radar, and ground penetration radar will be pressed into action. The army’s sniffer dogs will also be taken to the spot. As many as six helicopters have been deployed for rescue. It includes three Cheetah helicopters of the Indian Army Aviation, two Cheetah helicopters of the Indian Air Force and a civilian helicopter which was hired by the Indian Army.