Avalanche strikes Border Roads Organisation Camp in India

An avalanche hit a camp of India's Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on February 28 morning, located between Mana and Badrinath in Uttarakhand.

The devastating snowslide initially trapped 57 personnel, and so far, 16 have been successfully rescued. Rescue teams are working tirelessly to locate and save the remaining individuals, Caliber.Az reports via Indian media.

The incident occurred at Mana Pass, located 52 kilometers north of Badrinath Dham and roughly 310 kilometers from Dehradun. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed that the state government is coordinating rescue efforts with the help of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and other relevant agencies. "Our disaster management department and the entire administration are fully on alert," Dhami said in a statement to the media.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah reached out to CM Dhami to evaluate the situation, emphasizing that the government’s priority is to safely evacuate those who are still unreachable. In response, the Indian Army has mobilized additional medical resources from Joshimath to Mana to support rescue operations and provide medical assistance. 

Heavy snowfall in the region is complicating the rescue work, and efforts are currently underway to clear the road connecting Joshimath and Mana. The authorities are committed to ensuring that all trapped individuals are safely rescued despite the challenging weather conditions.

By Naila Huseynova