A devastating avalanche in northern India has claimed the lives of eight road construction workers who became trapped under the snow in the village of Mana, Uttarakhand. The Indian Army and disaster response teams worked tirelessly to rescue 46 other workers, many of whom were in critical condition.
The rescue efforts were severely hampered by extreme weather conditions, including heavy snowfall and incessant rain. GPS technology, sniffer dogs, and thermal imaging cameras were used to locate the buried workers. India’s Meteorological Department warned of the possibility of further avalanches in the area.
The village of Mana is a popular gateway for Himalayan mountain trekking and is located at an altitude of over 10,000 feet. The population of Mana migrates to lower elevations during the winter months due to the harsh weather conditions. This region is prone to natural disasters such as avalanches and floods, which have taken a significant toll in recent years.
In 2013, flooding killed over 1,000 people in Uttarakhand, while an avalanche in 2021 claimed the lives of 11 workers from the Border Roads Organization. Another rescue operation is currently underway for eight workers trapped in a tunnel in southern India, with officials expressing concerns about their chances of survival.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/world/asia/india-avalanche.html