On Friday, February 28, 2025, a large avalanche hit a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp near Mana village in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. The snow and debris trapped 57 workers. Rescue teams, including the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), quickly started operations to find and save them.
By Saturday evening, March 1, 2025, four workers had lost their lives, and five were still missing. Teams rescued 46 workers, with 29 taken by air to Jyotirmath for medical care at an Army hospital.
The avalanche buried eight containers and one shed, trapping 57 workers under nearly six feet of snow. The workers were from different regions, including:
- 14 from Bihar
- 11 from Uttarakhand
- 11 from Uttar Pradesh
- 7 from Himachal Pradesh
- 1 from Jammu & Kashmir
- 1 from Punjab
- 10 from Nepal
Rescue teams are facing major challenges due to heavy snowfall, low visibility, and freezing temperatures. The area is experiencing nonstop snowstorms, with temperatures dropping to minus 6°C. Despite these tough conditions, nearly 200 personnel are actively working on the rescue mission. They include teams from the Army, ITBP, BRO, NDRF, SDRF, district administration, police, health department, and fire services.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Chamoli to check the rescue efforts. He stressed that the government is fully committed to helping those affected. He admitted that the severe weather is making the work difficult but assured that all possible resources are being used to keep the workers safe.
Rescue teams continue their efforts to locate and save the remaining missing workers, employing specialized equipment such as Ground Penetration Radars (GPR) and avalanche rescue dogs to navigate the challenging terrain and deep snow. The operation remains ongoing, with all resources focused on saving lives and providing necessary medical care to the rescued individuals.
