Uttarakhand avalanche: Relief operations intensified to save 25 workers
A heavy snowstorm took place in the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp in the middle of Badrinath in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on the morning of 28 February 2025, in which 57 labourers engaged in road construction and snow clearing work on the India-Tibet border were buried. According to the Uttarakhand Disaster Management Department, as per ANI, 32 labourers were rescued safely till 5 pm, due to which 25 labourers are still fanning out below the snow. Situated 3 kilometers from Badrinath and 52 kilometers south of Mana Darra, Mana is a remote village at an altitude of 3,200 meters, more than 310 kilometers away from Dehradun.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is closely monitoring the situation and work to save the affected area is being done on the basis of war. Dhami told journalists that, along with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Bharatiya Sena, and other department teams, we made every effort to save the fans along with the Disaster Management Department and the district administration. According to ANI report, he also held a meeting with the top officials of the state at the State Disaster Control Office where he reviewed the ongoing work.
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| Uttarakhand avalanche 2025 Chamoli avalanche rescue BRO workers trapped |
Disaster at BRO camp in Chamoli, 32 evacuated
While talking to the Director General of ITBP and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) along with Union Home Minister Amit Shah Dhami, he stressed that saving the stranded labourers has become the biggest priority of the government. Shah held a post at X, the local administration was completely united and two NDRF teams were on their way to reach the place, out of which four more teams were on standby.
Bharatiya Sena mobilized additional medical resources from Joshimath to support the rescue and medical efforts while the BRO was busy clearing the snow-clogged road between Joshimath and Mana. Chamoli district magistrate (DM) Sandeep Tiwari informed ANI that Himshaklan has arrived at a BRO camp where 57 labourers were being detained. Tiwari said that out of the total 57 labourers, 32 have been rescued so far and noted that the labourers are regularly engaged in clearing the snow so that the army is facilitated to move towards the Tibbat border. He further said that till now the death of any person has not been officially confirmed.
According to Uttarakhand Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman, there was a huge challenge in rescue operations due to the extreme weather conditions, which included continuous heavy snowfall and a pile of 6-7 feet of snow at the place. Suman told PTI and ANI, "The situation was serious due to the depth of snow and continuous snowfall. A team of 65 soldiers is on the ground and we made arrangements for the army helicopter, however, it could not be used due to the bad weather." CR Meena, Executive Engineer of BRO, while addressing the challenges said, “Ten to four ambulances were sent, but due to heavy rain, the rescue team was finding it difficult to reach the place.”
Heavy snowfall increases difficulties, Army and NDRF active
The Google Earth visual has highlighted the remote location of the icefall between the high mountains of the Himalayas, just as the difficulties of the route faced by the rescuers have been highlighted. Chandigarh's Defence Geographical Research Institute (DGRE) from Thursday evening at 5 pm issued a 24-hour snow warning for areas above 2,400 meters in Chamoli and the rest of the district, which is a premonition of disaster.
Central Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also contacted CM Dhami and confirmed that the administration and local army units would keep all the resources available for help. Singh wrote on X that efforts to rescue the trapped jawans are going on with full commitment, meanwhile ITBP officers are informing Dhami about the progress of the operation, in which the rescued labourers are being treated at ITBP hospital.
As the heavy snowfall continues, the joint team of ITBP, Army, SDRF, NDRF and BRO are making desperate efforts to rescue the remaining 25 trapped labourers from this high altitude disaster area, 6 kilometres ahead of Badrinath Dham.
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