Eight containers located at a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp near Mana village, just ahead of Badrinath, provided crucial shelter for workers who were trapped during an avalanche on Friday. The 46 road construction workers found refuge in these containers after a glacier collapsed onto the Badrinath-Mana Road.

State disaster management officials, along with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, reported that the rescued workers took shelter inside the BRO containers positioned along the affected road.

Rescuers successfully located five of the eight containers that had been buried by the snow, managing to save 46 workers. Unfortunately, four others perished due to their injuries and shock. The Chief Minister noted that rescue teams are diligently searching for the remaining three containers as five more BRO workers are still unaccounted for.

“There were eight containers in the affected area, from which BRO workers were rescued. Five have been found, and efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining three buried beneath the thick snow and glacier debris,” Dhami explained. “Army sniffer dogs have been deployed, and three teams are actively patrolling. Additionally, we have requested a Ground Penetration Radar (GPR) from Delhi to aid in locating the buried containers,” he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to gather information on the rescue operation and the overall situation on the ground. “The Prime Minister is personally overseeing the situation and has assured that the Centre will provide all necessary support. He also asked if any additional assistance from central agencies is needed for the rescue efforts,” Dhami stated.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah have been in ongoing contact about the operation. Dhami expressed concern regarding the heavy rain and snowfall in the avalanche-affected area, which stretches nearly 20 kilometers. The snowfall, reaching six to seven feet, has heightened fears of further avalanches in the days ahead.

In response, the Chief Minister has instructed the Chamoli district administration to relocate other workers in the vicinity to safer locations. The State Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Department will soon issue an advisory regarding this matter.

A total of 55 BRO road construction workers were caught in the massive avalanche triggered by a glacier collapse near the Indo-China border village of Mana. A joint rescue operation involving the Indian Army, ITBP, BRO, and the Indian Air Force, aided by six helicopters, successfully rescued 46 workers, while four tragically lost their lives due to the extreme cold.

Additionally, the Chief Minister has directed state disaster management officials to restore communication networks in villages that have been cut off due to heavy snowfall. He has also ordered the immediate restoration of electricity supply to five blocks in the region that have experienced power outages for the past two days.