Rescue efforts have been escalated in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand following an avalanche that buried a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp near the high-altitude border village of Mana on Friday, ensnaring numerous workers beneath the rubble.
Four out of the 50 workers rescued from the avalanche rubble passed away while undergoing treatment for their injuries. Officials reported that five workers are still trapped.
At the same time, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has sent its Mi-17 V5 medium-lift helicopters and light helicopters for aid efforts since the roads are obstructed due to the avalanche, news agency ANI reported, referencing officials.
Previously, officials indicated that as soon as the weather conditions in the region improve, the IAF will be prepared to utilize its resources for relief efforts.
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Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to ask about the situation and gathered details regarding the rescue operation.
On Friday evening, CM Dhami toured the disaster control room in Dehradun to assess the situation and convened a meeting with senior officials, instructing them to accelerate the rescue efforts.
He confirmed that all agencies are operating at full capacity to conduct relief and rescue missions and stated that the trapped workers will be rescued shortly.
He also notified that the state government has established a helpline to support the families of the trapped workers, who come from different states.
