NEW DELHI: In a tragic incident, an avalanche struck the high-altitude village of Mana in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, claiming the lives of four labourers. The avalanche, which occurred early on Friday morning, trapped 55 Border Roads Organisation (BRO) workers under the snow. Rescue teams have successfully extricated 50 workers so far, but among the remaining five, four have reportedly died amid challenging weather conditions. Confirming the news, an Army spokesperson has said, "Fifty labourers have been rescued, out of which, unfortunately, four injured have been confirmed as fatal casualties while the search for the remaining five is underway."

The avalanche hit the BRO camp between 5:30 am and 6:00 am on Friday, burying the workers inside eight containers and a shed. Rescue operations have been hampered by treacherous terrain, blinding snowfall, and freezing temperatures. Despite these challenges, teams from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Indian Army have been working tirelessly to save the trapped workers.  

According to the spokesperson, Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta GOC-in C Central Command and Lt Gen D G Mishra GOC Uttar Bharat area have reached the avalanche site to monitor the rescue operations. Lt Gen Sengupta said movement by road is impossible since it is clogged with snow. The Badrinath-Joshimath highway is blocked at 15-20 places, he said.

The spokesperson said that there were eight containers at the BRO camp, of which five have been traced, while three are missing. A large number of the labourers rescued so far were found in the five containers.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted an aerial survey of the avalanche-hit area and interacted with an injured labourer who was being airlifted for treatment. He assured that the government is taking swift action to ensure the safety of the affected workers and that relief and rescue operations are being carried out efficiently. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also reportedly spoken to Dhami and assured him of full support.