Chamoli, March 1 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to assess the ongoing rescue efforts in Chamoli's Mana region, where an avalanche buried a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp, trapping 55 workers.
So far, 47 workers have been rescued, while the search for the remaining eight is continuing on a war footing. The injured have been airlifted to the Army Hospital in Joshimath for treatment.
CM Dhami expressed his gratitude to PM Modi for the Centre's full support, stating on X, "Respected Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji spoke on the phone and took information about the rescue operation being carried out to safely evacuate the workers trapped in Mana of Chamoli district."
"He also took detailed information on the situation of rain and snowfall in the state. During this, the Prime Minister assured that the central government will provide all possible assistance to deal with any emergency," the Chief Minister added.
Dhami reached Joshimath from Dehradun to oversee the situation and checked on the condition of the injured at the helipad before they were transported to the Army Hospital.
Rescue teams worked relentlessly on Saturday, pulling out 14 more workers from under the heavy snow. With roads beyond Lam Bagad blocked due to snowfall, authorities have focussed entirely on aerial rescue operations.
Two Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17 helicopters were deployed for rescue missions from Joshimath Base Camp to Badrinath Dham. One helicopter is continuing its mission while the recently rescued workers are being transported to the Army Hospital.
Despite harsh weather conditions, over 150 personnel from the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are working tirelessly on the mission.
CM Dhami has been actively monitoring the situation, directing officials to airlift critically injured workers to advanced medical facilities. He stated on X, "With the weather clearing up, relief and rescue operations have been expedited. With the blessings of Lord Badri Vishal and the tireless efforts of rescue workers, all possible measures are being taken to ensure the safety of the trapped workers."
Lieutenant Manoj Srivastava, PRO Defence, told IANS, "According to the latest information, weather conditions around Joshimath and Mana have improved today. The Indian Army has hired three civil helicopters, through which the injured are being evacuated smoothly."
"The rescue operations are currently underway, and hopefully, the remaining eight workers will also be pulled out soon," he added.
The avalanche buried eight containers and a hut where workers engaged in road construction were staying. Nearly seven feet of snow has covered the area, making rescue operations extremely difficult. The trapped workers hail from Uttarakhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir.
Authorities remain hopeful of rescuing the remaining workers soon as operations continue despite the challenging conditions.
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