DEHRADUN: In a catastrophic avalanche that struck the Mana area of Chamoli district, near the China border, on Friday morning, rescue teams have successfully extricated 50 out of the 55 trapped workers by Saturday evening. Tragically, four of the severely injured workers have succumbed to their injuries, while three others remain in critical condition.
In a bid to locate the remaining five trapped labourers, the Indian Army will resume rescue operations on Sunday morning, deploying Ground Penetration Radar (GPR) technology flown in from Delhi. The equipment will aid in detecting containers buried under the snow.
Despite fading hopes, the Army is racing against time to find the missing workers. "We are working tirelessly to locate the trapped labourers," said an Army official.
Three Army teams conducted intensive patrolling on Saturday, scouring the avalanche-hit area for any signs of the missing workers.
On Saturday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted an aerial survey of the disaster site and reviewed the relief and rescue operations in Joshimath. He instructed District Magistrate Dr Sandeep Tiwari to carry out the rescue mission for the five missing workers at war footing.
Speaking to TNIE, PRO Defence Lt Col Manish Shrivastava stated, "A dedicated rescue team consisting of seven officers, 17 JCOs, and 150 personnel from the IBEX Brigade of the Indian Army has been deployed in Mana village."
"The team, equipped with a specialised medical unit consisting of two doctors and four ambulances, as well as four engineering equipment units, is working diligently to ensure the safety of the trapped individuals," he added.
"Specialised reconnaissance radars, UAVs, quadcopters, and avalanche rescue dogs have been pressed into service to locate the survivors," said Lt Col Shrivastava.
In an official statement, Vinod Kumar Suman, Secretary of the State Disaster Management, revealed, "In addition to Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh, there are also 10 labourers from Nepal involved."
According to a list released by the State Disaster Management Centre, the deceased include Mahendra Pal and Jitendra Singh from Himachal Pradesh, Manjeet Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, and Alok Yadav from Uttarakhand.
On Saturday morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Chief Minister Dhami to inquire about the ongoing rescue operations for the workers stranded in Mana, Chamoli district. Dhami stated, "The PM expressed his concern and sought updates on the efforts being made to ensure the safe evacuation of the labourers."
In light of the heavy snowfall, the Uttarakhand State Meteorological Centre has issued an orange alert. The Defence Geological and Geophysical Research Institute has also raised alarms regarding potential avalanches. The warning specifically highlights areas above 2,400 metres in elevation across Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh, and Bageshwar, with Chamoli district being identified as particularly unsafe.