Avalanche in India's Uttarakhand Kills Four Workers, Rescue Efforts Challenged by Severe Weather

At least four construction workers have died after an avalanche struck and trapped dozens in India's northern Uttarakhand state, close to the border with Tibet. The incident occurred on Friday in the Chamoli district, when a heavy avalanche buried fifty-five workers engaged at a highway construction site near the India-China boundary in snow.

Rescuers responding to the incident have so far managed to extricate fifty of the trapped individuals from under the snow. Sadly, four of these rescued workers later passed away due to injuries, the Indian army confirmed. Efforts to locate and save the remaining five workers continued on Saturday afternoon, considerably impeded by heavy snowfall and difficult weather conditions that made it challenging for rescue teams to access the area promptly.

The adverse weather, including both heavy rain and snowfall, initially prevented authorities from deploying helicopters for rescue efforts. Additionally, rescue teams encountered difficulties due to a lack of reliable communication equipment such as satellite phones, as explained by Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari. Officials noted that the ongoing severe weather, snow accumulation of several feet, and poor visibility are severely hampering the operation.

The Indian Army has deployed around 170 personnel, including medical teams, who are working diligently in these challenging weather conditions. The rescue objective prioritizes evacuating the injured, who are being transported approximately 50 kilometers away from Mana to the nearby town of Joshimath using helicopters leased by the Indian Army.

Those trapped in the avalanche included a large number of migrant laborers, working on widening a highway stretch that spans 50 kilometers from Mana village—India's last settlement—to Mana Pass, near the Tibetan border. This Himalayan region is known for its ecological sensitivity, with a heightened tendency towards landslides and avalanches.

Experts have raised concerns, noting that significant infrastructure projects like new highways and hydroelectric dams may exacerbate the vulnerability of this already delicate environment. Construction activities are said to increase the risk in a region already experiencing heightened threats due to climate change. Over recent years, Uttarakhand has witnessed several deadly avalanches, including one in 2022 which resulted in the deaths of 27 mountaineers, and another in 2021 which severely damaged hydropower facilities and left over 200 people deceased. Scientists point out that rising global temperatures are destabilizing frozen ground in the Himalayas, making landslides and avalanches increasingly common.