Uttarakhand avalanche: Death toll rises to six as rescue operations continue near Mana village

The devastating avalanche that struck near Mana village in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, on February 28 has claimed six lives as of Sunday. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with the Army, ITBP, Air Force, NDRF, and SDRF working collectively to locate and evacuate the remaining missing persons.

Lt. Col Manish Shrivastava, PRO (Defence) Dehradun, confirmed the recovery of one more body, bringing the official death toll to six. “One more body was recovered by the Army in snow during the ongoing search operation. The body is being brought to Mana post. Now, three persons are still missing,” he said.

Key updates on the Uttarakhand avalanche:

1. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the Disaster Control Room at IT Park, Dehradun, for the second consecutive day to review the rescue operations.
2. Vijay Pandey, one of the rescued workers, shared his harrowing experience. “We were inside the container when the avalanche struck. It swept the container away, and we found ourselves trapped in the snow. Out of nine people in the container, four are admitted here,” he told ANI from the Joshimath Army Hospital.
3. The Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed a drone-based intelligent buried object detection system to aid search efforts. Additionally, the SDRF team left for Shri Badrinath Dham with specialized communication equipment to assist in locating missing workers.
4. Aerial rescue operations are being carried out using one MI-17 helicopter, three Cheetah helicopters, two Uttarakhand government helicopters, and an AIIMS Rishikesh air ambulance. CM Dhami has directed authorities to provide additional helicopters if necessary.
5. SDRF’s inspector general of police (IG) Ridhim Agarwal confirmed that an expert team equipped with a Victim Locating Camera (V.L.C.) and a Thermal Image Camera has been sent to the incident site to enhance search efficiency.
6. The Army helipad near the Mana base camp has been set up for emergency evacuations.
7. Heavy snowfall continues to hinder rescue efforts, with snow accumulation reaching 6-7 feet in Badrinath. Several roads remain blocked, worsening accessibility issues.
8. Uttarakhand Sub Area GOC Major General Prem Raj and Brigadier Harish Sethi visited the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) to monitor military-led rescue efforts and provide further assistance.
9. Chamoli district magistrate Sandeep Tiwari stated that 24 rescued BRO workers are receiving treatment in Joshimath. One severely injured individual has been transferred to AIIMS Rishikesh via air ambulance due to spinal injuries.
10. CM Pushkar Dhami conducted an aerial survey of the affected area and met with the injured workers at the Army Hospital, assuring them of all necessary medical assistance and government support.

Rescue teams are racing against time to locate the missing individuals amid harsh weather conditions. With heavy snowfall complicating the operations, authorities are utilizing advanced technology and aerial rescue methods to ensure maximum success. The Uttarakhand government, along with military and disaster response teams, remains committed to bringing all missing persons to safety and providing aid to the affected families.

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