Uttarakhand avalanche: 4 dead, 4 missing; advanced drones deployed
What's the story
A massive avalanche has struck a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp near Mana village in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. The calamity buried 54 workers under snow, of which 50 have been rescued till now. Tragically, four workers lost their lives in the incident and four others remain missing. The deceased have been identified as Mohindra Pal and Jitendra Singh from Himachal Pradesh, Manjit Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, and Alok Yadav from Uttarakhand.
Rescue efforts
Rescue operations intensify amid challenging conditions
The search for the missing workers—Harmesh Chand from Himachal Pradesh, Ashok from Uttar Pradesh, and Anil Kumar and Arvind Singh from Uttarakhand—continues. More than 200 personnel from different agencies including the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), BRO, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are engaged in this high-intensity rescue operation. Heavy snowfall and rain on Friday hampered efforts but they resumed with increased intensity on Sunday.
Tech assistance
Advanced technology and aerial support aid in rescue mission
The rescue teams are employing specialized tools like Victim Locating Cameras (VLC), Thermal Imaging Cameras, and Ground Penetration Radar from Delhi, besides using avalanche rescue dogs to locate the buried. Weather permitting, drones and unmanned aerial vehicles will also be pressed into the search operations. Six helicopters are participating in the operations, including three from the Army Aviation Corps and two from the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Transport challenges
Avalanche blocks highway, helicopters crucial for rescue operations
The avalanche has blocked the Badrinath-Joshimath highway at several points, rendering road access nearly impossible for rescue teams. As a result, Army and IAF helicopters are proving to be a lifeline in ferrying rescuers and equipment. Lieutenant Generals Anindya Sengupta and DG Mishra have arrived at the site to supervise operations. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami took an aerial survey of the site and lauded rescue teams for their prompt action, instructing officials to continue searching "on a war footing."
Government response
PM Modi assures full support, officials relocate workers
After receiving updates on the situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured full support from central agencies. Vinod Kumar Suman of the disaster management department said an Army helipad near Mana base camp is operational and efforts are on to clear snow from the Badrinath helipad. With risks of further avalanches increasing due to continuous snowfall, officials have been directed to relocate workers from high-risk areas to safer locations.