Avalanche Claims Lives of Eight Road Workers in Uttarakhand, India

Eight road construction workers were confirmed dead after an avalanche hit their camp in Mana, Uttarakhand, while 46 others were successfully rescued under severe weather conditions.

An avalanche struck a road workers’ camp in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand on Friday, resulting in the tragic deaths of eight construction workers, as reported by the Indian Army. The incident occurred in the village of Mana, which lies at an altitude of over 3,200 meters, known for its treacherous winter conditions.

The rescue operations were hampered by relentless snowfall and rain, but teams managed to evacuate 46 other workers who were trapped under the heavy snow, many of whom were in critical condition. High-tech equipment including thermal imaging cameras, sniffer dogs, and GPS technology played a crucial role in the search efforts.

The workers were part of the Border Roads Organization, a sector of the Indian armed forces responsible for the construction and maintenance of roads in border regions. Those rescued were airlifted to hospitals in the nearby town of Joshimath for urgent medical attention.

As treacherous weather persists, the Indian Meteorological Department has issued warnings of potential further avalanches in the area, which is known as a gateway to the Himalayan mountains. Mana has a history of natural disasters; back in 2013, catastrophic floods claimed the lives of over a thousand people in Uttarakhand. More recently, in 2021, an avalanche in the same region resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals from the Border Roads Organization.

Uttarakhand’s harsh winter conditions often force the local population to migrate to lower altitudes, as the village’s residents have historically sought refuge from the snowfall during colder months. This incident reiterates the risks that workers face in mountain construction projects, underscoring the need for enhanced safety measures in such hazardous environments.