Search and rescue teams resumed operations on Sunday morning to locate four workers who have been trapped for over 48 hours following an avalanche in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. The missing individuals have been identified as Harmesh Chand from Himachal Pradesh, Ashok from Uttar Pradesh, and Anil Kumar and Arvind Singh from Uttarakhand.

The avalanche struck on Friday at a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) labor site near Mana village, approximately five kilometers from the Badrinath Temple. The disaster buried 54 workers inside eight containers and a shed under thick layers of snow.

Swift rescue efforts led to the successful evacuation of 33 workers by Friday night and another 17 on Saturday. Personnel from the Army, Air Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) played a crucial role in the mission.

Casualties and Challenges in Rescue Efforts

Despite relentless efforts, four workers—Mohindra Pal and Jitendra Singh from Himachal Pradesh, Manjit Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, and Alok Yadav from Uttarakhand—succumbed to their injuries during treatment.

Heavy snowfall and continuous rainfall have significantly hampered rescue operations, forcing temporary suspensions over the past two nights. The affected site, situated at an altitude exceeding 3,200 meters, has recorded temperatures plummeting to minus 12 degrees Celsius.

On Saturday, adverse weather conditions limited ground movement, prompting the Army and Air Force to conduct aerial rescue operations. More than 200 personnel from various agencies, including the ITBP, BRO, NDRF, SDRF, and the district administration, remain engaged in the search.

A fleet of six helicopters—three from the Army Aviation Corps, two from the Air Force, and one civilian helicopter contracted by the Army—has been deployed to aid the efforts. Additionally, specialized RECCO radars, drones, and avalanche rescue dogs are being utilized to locate the missing workers.

Government Response and Survivor Accounts

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted an aerial inspection of the site on Saturday, assessing ongoing rescue and relief measures. He has directed officials to intensify efforts and continue the search operation on a war footing.

Survivors of the avalanche recounted their terrifying experience. Manoj Bhandari, one of the workers housed in the containers, recalled witnessing a massive wall of snow descending from the peak. “I shouted to warn everyone and took cover behind a loader machine,” he said.

Another worker, Gopal Joshi, described the sudden nature of the disaster. “The weather had been harsh for days. Around 6 am, as we stepped outside, we heard a deafening roar. Looking up, we saw an avalanche racing toward us. I alerted my colleagues, but running was difficult due to the deep snow. It took two hours for ITBP personnel to reach us,” he recounted.

Vipin Kumar, another survivor, said he was buried under the snow for nearly 15 minutes before being rescued.

Efforts are ongoing to locate the missing workers as teams continue to battle extreme weather conditions in their mission to save lives.