Avalanche strikes BRO camp in Uttarakhand: 33 rescued, 22 still missing; rescue halted due to heavy snowfall

Rescuers plan to resume their efforts on Saturday morning in hopes of locating the remaining 22 workers.

Rescue operations progress at the site where an avalanche struck trapping 57 BRO workers near Mana in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on February 28, 2025.

DEHRADUN: A tragic avalanche near the China border in Mana, Uttarakhand, has struck a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp, leaving approximately 55 workers feared trapped under the debris.

As of now, 33 individuals have been successfully rescued; however, the search operation was suspended late Friday evening due to heavy snowfall. Rescuers plan to resume their efforts on Saturday morning in hopes of locating the remaining 22 workers.

According to reports, approximately 55 workers were trapped under the debris following the sudden avalanche. In response to the emergency, the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) launched a rescue operation on a war footing.

“By late evening, heavy snowfall forced us to pause the rescue efforts,” an official stated.

Vinod Kumar Suman, the Secretary of State Disaster Management, spoke to The New Indian Express, stating, “the number of people rescued from the avalanche incident has reached 33, while 22 are still missing.”

To clear the snow on the Badrinath Highway, the BRO has deployed JCB machines. However, continuous snowfall and fog in the area are hindering rescue efforts.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), disaster management, and police have set out on foot towards Mana village from the Badrinath Highway.

Speaking to TNIE, PRO Defence Lt. Col. Manish Shrivastava stated, “A dedicated rescue team consisting of seven officers, 17 JCOs, and 150 personnel from the IBEX Brigade of the Indian Army has been deployed in Mana Village of Chamoli district following a devastating glacier avalanche.”

He added, “The team, equipped with a specialised medical unit (two doctors and four ambulances) and four engineering equipment units, is making efforts to ensure the safety of the trapped individuals.”

According to sources from the district administration, the trapped workers are employed by a company involved in highway widening and asphalting projects along a 50-kilometre stretch from Mana to Mana Pass. The BRO is overseeing this construction through an EPC contractor.

Three injured workers have been transported to a hospital, and rescue operations are ongoing.

“The weather in Uttarakhand has remained inclement for three consecutive days, with snowfall continuing on the higher peaks,” officials reported.

The Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) are actively involved in the rescue efforts. However, the highway beyond Hanuman Chatti remains closed due to severe weather conditions.

In an update, Arpan Yadavanshi, Commandant of the SDRF, stated, “Both the SDRF and the NDRF have been dispatched to the site. However, they are currently stranded due to the closure of the highway.”

District Magistrate Dr Sandeep Tiwari has instructed officials associated with the Incident Response System (IRS) to remain on high alert.

“Officials have been directed to restore traffic on blocked roads and repair damaged power lines to restore electricity supply,” he added.