Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman reported on Saturday that rescue and relief operations are progressing swiftly following the avalanche near Mana village in Chamoli district. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is closely monitoring the situation and remains actively engaged in overseeing the ongoing efforts.
“Inclement weather persists there. The Chief Minister is continuously monitoring the situation. He visited the control room twice yesterday and sought a detailed update on everything. Rescue and relief operations are taking place swiftly,” Suman told ANI.
Efforts continue to rescue the 22 remaining Border Roads Organisation (BRO) workers still trapped. “33 out of 55 people were rescued until yesterday. 22 people still remain to be rescued. Rescue and relief operations are ongoing for them,” Suman added.
More than 200 personnel are on standby, ready to be dispatched for additional rescue operations. Four helicopters are currently operational, with one Mi-17 helicopter from the Indian Air Force on standby, awaiting improved weather conditions. Snow-clearing operations are underway near Mana to prepare a new helipad, which is expected to speed up evacuation efforts once completed.
Due to continuous snowfall, rescue operations were paused overnight to ensure the safety of the rescue teams. “The rescue was halted at night because of continuous snowfall. To avoid any threat to the teams, operations resumed this morning. Our medical team in Joshimath is fully prepared with necessary medicines and equipment,” Suman explained.
Multiple agencies, including the Army, ITBP, BRO, NDRF, SDRF, Health Department, District Administration, and Police Administration, are working in coordination to ensure the success of the ongoing rescue mission.
Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand government has issued helpline numbers for those seeking assistance or information related to the avalanche. The helpline numbers operated through the state emergency operation centre of the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority are: Mobile: 8218867005, 9058441404; Telephone: 0135 2664315; Toll-Free: 1070.