41 workers trapped after avalanche near Uttarakhand’s Mana

A total of 41 workers were trapped at a Border Roads Organisation project site near Uttarakhand’s Mana, the northernmost village of India, after an avalanche hit the area on Friday, reported ANI.

Initially, 57 workers were trapped under the snow. Sixteen of them have been rescued so far, said Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Four of the rescued workers are in critical condition, reported India Today.

“All preparations have been made,” Dhami told PTI. “We are taking help from the ITBP [Indo Tibetan Border Police]. The district administration and all others are in touch, and we are trying to rescue all as soon as possible.”

The avalanche struck between Mana and Mana Pass on Friday morning, according to India Today. The workers were engaged in snow-clearing operations essential for Army movement. Mana is the last village on the India-Tibet border at a height of 3,200 metres.

Teams from the State Disaster Response Force, the National Disaster Response Force, Border Roads Organisation, the Indian Army and the Indo Tibetan Border Police have been mobilised for the rescue operations.

Sandeep Tiwari, the district magistrate of Chamoli, stated that the rescue teams have been unable to utilise helicopter services due to heavy snowfall. “Also, they do not have a satellite phone or other devices to communicate with them,” he...

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