Avalanche in Northern India Claims Seven Lives as Rescuers Search for Missing Worker

The death toll from an avalanche in northern India has risen to seven, following the recovery of three bodies on Sunday. Survivors recounted their harrowing experiences after being buried under snow and debris for hours.

The avalanche struck a construction camp near Mana village, close to the Tibet border in Uttarakhand, on Friday, trapping more than 50 workers. Authorities later revised the number of workers present from 55 to 54, discovering one individual had safely returned home before the disaster. While 50 workers were rescued, four later succumbed to their injuries.

Anil, a construction worker in his late 20s, described his rescue as a miraculous intervention. “It felt as if God’s angels had come to save us,” he said from his hospital bed. “We had no hope of surviving.”

The army deployed a drone-based detection system and utilized multiple drones and rescue dogs in the search efforts. The workers were part of a project managed by the Border Roads Organization, living in steel containers designed to withstand harsh weather.

Anil recounted the moment the avalanche struck around 6:00 a.m., noting that many workers were asleep or in makeshift toilets when the ground shook and their container began to slide. “When we looked outside, we saw piles of snow all around,” he recalled.

At an altitude exceeding 3,200 meters (10,500 feet), temperatures plummeted to minus 12 degrees Celsius (10 degrees Fahrenheit). Dhan Singh Bisht expressed gratitude for the prompt action of the relief teams that saved his son and nephew.

Avalanches and landslides are frequent in the Himalayas, particularly in winter. Experts warn that climate change and rapid development in these fragile regions exacerbate the risks, as seen in past disasters. In 2021, nearly 100 people died in Uttarakhand when a glacier chunk fell into a river, leading to flash floods. A devastating series of floods and landslides in 2013 claimed 6,000 lives and sparked discussions on the need to review development projects in the state.