Chamoli (Uttarakhand) [India], March 2 – Brigade GSO 1 Lt Col Devendra confirmed on Sunday that 46 people are currently receiving treatment at the Joshimath Army Hospital following the avalanche near the BRO camp in Mana village, Chamoli district, on February 28. The Indian Army also reported that the death toll from the tragedy has risen to five after one more body was recovered.
Lt Col Devendra, shared details of the ongoing rescue operation. “Fifty people have been rescued so far, out of which there were four fatalities. Currently, 46 are being treated at the Army field hospital here, while one critically injured worker was airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh for further treatment. A rescue operation is still underway in Mana to locate the remaining four missing workers,” he said.
The BRO (Border Roads Organisation) is expected to release the names of the deceased soon. Meanwhile, the search continues for the four missing workers, with various agencies like the Army, ITBP, Air Force, NDRF, and SDRF working together to provide assistance.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami updated the public on the ongoing operations and confirmed that advanced technology like ground-penetrating radar, thermal imaging cameras, and victim-locating devices are being employed to locate the missing individuals.
Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari clarified earlier that while 55 workers were initially reported to be involved in the incident, the number had been reduced to 54 after it was confirmed that one worker was on unauthorized leave and had returned home. Of the remaining 54, four people are still missing.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed a Mi-17 helicopter on Sunday, airlifting a drone-based Intelligent Buried Object detection system to assist in the search operations in the avalanche-affected areas. IAF Cheetah helicopters have also been engaged in the rescue efforts since Saturday, providing critical support in the aftermath of the disaster at the BRO camp near Mana village.
As of now, 51 workers have been rescued, with five confirmed dead and three still unaccounted for.