Uttarakhand avalanche: 33 rescued amid bad weather, snow and lurking danger | 10 points

Uttarakhand avalanche: CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said helicopters could not be pressed into the rescue operation because of bad weather.

Uttarakhand avalanche: The army and the authorities in Uttarakhand's Chamoli on Friday rescued 32 of the 57 Border Roads Organisation (BRO) workers who were trapped under snow after an avalanche hit the high-altitude village of Mana. The rescue and relief operations were impeded by inclement weather.

In this photo by the Indian Army, a team carries out rescue operations for trapped construction workers who were swept away by an avalanche near the Mana Village in Chamoli district. (AP)

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Here are 10 points on the Uttarakhand avalanche:

1. The avalanche buried a camp of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) between Mana and Badrinath. 57 people were buried under the snow; 33 have been rescued so far.
2. Mana is situated three kilometres from Badrinath, a key religious tourism spot. It is the last village on the India-Tibet border at a height of 3,200 meters.
3. After the avalanche, the road leading to the accident site was blocked due to snow and rain. Multiple teams of rescuers battled tough terrain, heavy snow and rain to reach the trapped workers.
4. The rescue operations were halted due to bad weather and the impending danger of more avalanches, reported PTI, citing sources. It will restart when the weather improves, they added.
5. After the avalanche hit the camp, two mild avalanches hit the area after which the rescue operation was deferred. The site where the accident took place is vulnerable to avalanches during winter.
6. The head of Mana village told PTI that in the past, this camp used to get shifted to Badrinath during winter. The camp was not shifted this time due to scant snowfall.
7. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said helicopters could not be pressed into the rescue operation because of bad weather. "Rescue mission is underway. Due to inclement weather, helicopter service cannot be used. We are trying to rescue the labourers. The offices of the PM and home minister are in touch with us," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
8. Uttarakhand disaster management secretary Vinod Suman told ANI that a team of 65 people was engaged in the rescue operation. He said the situation remained difficult due to continuous snowfall in the region. However, he added that rescue operations were underway to rescue trapped BRO workers. "Rescued persons have been admitted to ITBP hospital in Mana," he added.
9. The Uttarakhand government has issued helpline numbers for people to get any assistance or information related to the avalanche. They have shared the following phone numbers: 8218867005, 9058441404, 0135 2664315.
10. Defense minister Rajnath Singh reacted to the incident. "An unfortunate avalanche has occurred in the Mana area of Joshimath (Uttarakhand) today impacting the GREF camp of BRO. Spoke to CM Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami regarding the situation. The administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected Rescue efforts by local Army units are also underway. All efforts to rescue the trapped personnel are being undertaken by utilizing all available resources," he wrote on X.

With inputs from agencies