Chamoli avalanche: Rescue efforts continue for 4 missing workers

Chamoli, March 2 (IANS) Rescue operations have resumed in Uttarakhand's Mana region as clear weather has allowed teams to intensify their search for the four missing workers trapped after an avalanche struck Chamoli. Helicopters have also been deployed to aid the ongoing mission. 

The avalanche, which hit Mana village on Friday night, initially trapped 55 workers. Due to swift and coordinated efforts by security forces, including the Army, ITBP, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), 46 workers were successfully rescued. However, four workers lost their lives in the disaster.

Providing an update on the operation, Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari stated, "The operation has resumed. Four people are still missing, and the search for them is underway. Heli rescue operations have resumed from the Jyotirmath helipad as weather conditions have improved."

He informed that security forces, including the Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), have been present at the avalanche site since early morning. "Hopefully, the workers will be rescued soon," Tiwari added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have been closely monitoring the situation, with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami leading the rescue efforts and issuing necessary directives.

Of the five initially missing workers, one, identified as Sunil Kumar from Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, safely returned home. The remaining four are still unaccounted for, prompting intense search operations involving sniffer dogs and aerial surveillance.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Dhami has been receiving continuous updates from Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman and Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari.

He has ordered an exhaustive search to locate the missing workers, reinforcing the state's commitment to rescue and relief operations.

On Sunday, advanced search methods such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), thermal imaging cameras, and victim location cameras will be deployed to enhance detection efforts.

Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman reported that 24 workers were transported from the Army hospital in Mana to Joshimath for medical treatment.

Among them, two critically injured workers were referred to AIIMS Rishikesh. One worker has already been admitted, while arrangements are being made for the second patient. Tragically, one worker has succumbed to injuries in Joshimath.

The District Magistrate has instructed the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to contact the families of the missing workers for further assistance. While reaching out to Sunil Kumar's family in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, officials confirmed that he had safely returned home.

Rescue teams, under instructions from both the state and central governments, are determined to locate the remaining missing workers. By late Saturday evening, eight containers buried under the avalanche were discovered, but no workers were found inside.

The avalanche struck between 5:30 and 6:00 AM on Friday, engulfing a worker's camp situated between Mana and Badrinath. A total of 55 workers, employed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), were buried under the snow inside eight containers and a shed.

The Indian Army and paramilitary forces promptly launched rescue efforts, managing to save 33 workers by Friday evening. Chief Minister Dhami took immediate action, closely overseeing relief operations from the State Emergency Operations Center of the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA).

The massive rescue effort has involved multiple agencies, including the Army, ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, BRO, Health Department, local administrative bodies, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), and the Indian Air Force. However, bad weather, snowfall, and darkness temporarily halted operations.

On Saturday morning, with improved weather conditions, the Indian Army and ITBP resumed their search. District Disaster Management Officer N.K. Joshi led the renewed mission. The rescue efforts included six helicopters-- three from the Indian Army Aviation, two from the Indian Air Force, and one civil helicopter.

The Indian Army also deployed a drone-based Intelligent Buried Object Detection system, brought in by the Indian Air Force, to assist in locating trapped individuals in the avalanche-hit region.

Military officials, including Lt. Gen. Anindya Sengupta and Lt. Gen. D.G. Mishra, visited the site to oversee operations. Lt. Gen. Sengupta reported that the Badrinath-Joshimath highway remained blocked at multiple locations due to heavy snow, restricting movement.

Chief Minister Dhami visited the affected area near Mana to inspect the rescue and relief efforts. He interacted with the evacuated workers and received detailed briefings from military and administrative officials involved in the mission.

In a post on X, he assured that the government remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of those impacted by the disaster.

The ongoing rescue operations continue to face challenges, including difficult terrain and extreme weather conditions, but the relentless efforts of the teams have provided hope. No additional casualties have been reported, and the focus remains on locating the missing workers.

In response to the disaster, Chief Minister Dhami conducted an aerial survey, ensuring the rapid mobilisation of resources. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also personally spoke with Dhami, pledging full support from the central government for the rescue mission.

--IANS

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