Chamoli avalanche: 33 laborers rescued, 22 still trapped

Chamoli avalanche: 33 laborers rescued, 22 still trapped
01 Mar 2025

An avalanche in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district has trapped 55 workers at a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp in the high-altitude village of Mana.

The incident took place between 5:30am and 6:00am on Friday, burying workers inside eight containers and a shed.

As of Friday evening, 33 laborers have been rescued while 22 remain trapped.

Rescue operations were temporarily halted due to adverse weather conditions but resumed on Saturday morning.

Air support and personnel deployed for rescue mission
Rescue efforts

Rescue efforts are ongoing and will be aided by private and Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters, weather permitting.

Chamoli District Disaster Management Officer N K Joshi said the nearest airstrip at Gauchar has been readied for helicopter operations.

Over 65 personnel are engaged in this challenging rescue mission, battling seven feet of snow near the site.

Rescued laborers' condition and government's response
Victims' status

Uttarakhand's Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman confirmed that four of the rescued are in critical condition.

All 33 rescued laborers have been rushed to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) camp in Mana for treatment.

The trapped workers belonged to different states including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Central government assures assistance, Army mobilizes teams
Government action

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been apprised of the situation and he assured that "the central government will provide all possible assistance to deal with any emergency."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah stressed that rescuing the trapped people is a priority for the government.

The Army's swift response teams of Ibex Brigade—which is specifically trained for high-altitude rescue operations—were rushed immediately after the avalanche, including over 100 personnel, doctors, and ambulances.

Uttarakhand CM instructs establishment of disaster control room

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also held a meeting with senior officials and asked them to set up a disaster control room in Joshimath.

He also directed the NDRF, SDRF, ITBP, and Army to coordinate to clear snow from the affected area.

Apart from the laborers, 14 civilians were also rescued by the Indian Army from the avalanche-affected area on Saturday. One civilian of them is reportedly in critical condition.