By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
Search teams in northern India have successfully rescued 47 people trapped under snow following an avalanche that struck a remote construction camp in Chamoli district on Friday.
Despite these efforts, eight workers remain unaccounted for, and the rescue operation is ongoing. The avalanche occurred near Mana village, close to the Tibet border, burying 55 workers under debris.
Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, announced that “relief and rescue operations have been accelerated” as weather conditions improved in the area. Efforts to safely evacuate all trapped workers are a top priority. Army doctors at the site have already performed life-saving surgeries on critically injured workers.
Avalanches and landslides are frequent in the Himalayan region, particularly during the winter months. Experts attribute the increasing severity of such weather events to climate change, fueled by human activities like burning fossil fuels.
This heightened threat is compounded by rapid development in the fragile Himalayan areas, with past incidents, such as a 2021 glacier disaster, causing significant loss of life.
As search operations continue, the community remains focused on saving the remaining workers and addressing the environmental challenges facing the region.
