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The nearly 60-hour rescue operation following the deadly avalanche near Mana village in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, has concluded. Officials confirmed that eight workers lost their lives, while 46 were rescued after the snow buried labourers inside containers and a shed.
The disaster struck in the early hours of 28 February 2025, when 54 contractual labourers under a contractor for the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) were buried under the snow and debris. These workers were stationed between Mana and Mana Pass, a high altitude region near the India-Tibet border.
The avalanche triggered a large scale multi-agency rescue effort, with teams from the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and district authorities working tirelessly to locate the trapped labourers.
By the second day of operations, 27 rescued workers were transported to Joshimath for medical care, while others received treatment at the military hospital. On 1 March, authorities confirmed that four deceased workers had been found. On 2 March, the remaining four bodies were retrieved, bringing the death toll to eight.
Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari stated to the media, “Out of 54 missing labourers, 46 have been rescued alive, and eight have been found dead. The last missing worker’s body was recovered at 5:45 PM on 2 March, officially concluding the rescue mission.”
Many of the rescued workers spoke of their harrowing survival struggle. Jagbir Singh from Amritsar recalled waking up to a roaring sound before his container was flung down the slope. “We found a colleague dead next to us. I had a fractured leg and a head injury. There was snow everywhere,” he said.
Over 200 personnel were deployed for the rescue, using sniffer dogs, drones, thermal imaging cameras, and victim locating cameras to search for survivors under the snow. Six helicopters from the Army and Air Force were also engaged in operations, airlifting rescued workers to safety.
Officials confirmed that ground-penetrating radar and thermal imaging were used on the second day to locate trapped individuals. Lt Col Manish Shrivastava, Defence PRO, stated, “Despite harsh conditions, teams worked tirelessly, ensuring maximum lives were saved.”
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his condolences, thanking the Army, ITBP, SDRF, and BRO for their heroic efforts. “Despite severe weather and high-altitude challenges, teams displayed remarkable dedication in saving 46 lives,” he said.
In a Hindi post on social media platform, Dhami said, “The search operation to locate the missing labourers following the avalanche near Mana village in Chamoli district has now concluded. A total of 54 workers were trapped in the disaster, out of which 46 were rescued safely, while, unfortunately, 8 lost their lives. I pray for the peace of the departed souls and strength for their grieving families in this difficult time.
The rescue and relief efforts received invaluable guidance from Hon’ble Prime Minister @narendramodi ji and full support from the central government, enabling the operation to be carried out swiftly and efficiently. On behalf of the people of Uttarakhand, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the central leadership for their prompt assistance during this challenging time.
The local administration, Army, SDRF, and all rescue teams demonstrated extraordinary courage, dedication, and perseverance. Despite harsh conditions, they gave their all to ensure the safe evacuation of the trapped workers—a truly commendable effort. I salute their bravery and unwavering commitment to duty.”
The Uttarakhand government has issued a new advisory, directing all workers in high altitude zones to be relocated to safer areas before peak avalanche season in February and March.
With eight lives lost, the Chamoli avalanche is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by labourers working in extreme conditions. Authorities now plan to implement better safety measures and avalanche monitoring systems to prevent future tragedies.
