A devastating avalanche buried a remote road workers camp in Uttrakhand, trapping at least 42 laborers near the India-Tibet border. Officials confirmed that rescue teams, including the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Border Roads Organization (BRO), are struggling against harsh conditions to free those still trapped.
Police spokesperson IG Nilesh Anand Bharne stated that emergency responders had rescued 16 workers and transferred them to a nearby army camp. The avalanche struck Mana, a high-altitude border region at the foot of the Himalayas where only seasonal laborers and military personnel stay during winter.
Ambulances and relief teams have reached the area, but the mountainous terrain poses significant obstacles. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami later confirmed that rescue efforts remain ongoing despite treacherous weather conditions.
Colonel Ankur Mahajan, a senior BRO commander, confirmed that medical teams are treating the rescued workers. However, officials remain unsure about the severity of their injuries. A former village council member named Gaurav Kunwar stated that the area had experienced continuous rain for two days before the avalanche.
Kunwar explained that no permanent residents live there as workers migrate for road construction projects along the border. Authorities are still demanding whether any fatalities have occurred.
The India Meteorological Department warned of heavy snowfall and rainfall across Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, and Kashmir. Officials also issued orange alerts in multiple districts, urging residents and workers to remain cautious.
As the Uttarakhand avalanche traps workers, authorities push forward with search and rescue efforts, hoping to locate and save all missing individuals. According to Sandeep Tiwari, a senior district official, no confirmed deaths have been reported. However, officials fear freezing temperatures and unstable snow could worsen the situation for those still trapped.
