In a remote region of the Indian Himalayas, dozens of people have survived an avalanche. Last week, near the village of Mana, close to the Tibetan border, an avalanche struck a construction camp, and rescuers pulled 46 people from the debris. Unfortunately, 8 workers died in the accident, and all the victims' bodies have been recovered.
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03-04, 2025The workers were buried under ice, snow, and rubble brought by the avalanche, and were trapped for more than two days in sub-zero temperatures, as rescuers raced against time. The Indian military used drone detection systems to assist in the search and rescue operation, and also deployed a search and rescue dog in an effort to find the trapped personnel as quickly as possible.
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) said in a statement: "After three days of relentless effort, the joint rescue operation by ITBP, Army and NDRF has successfully concluded. The 46 rescued are receiving medical treatment, and 8 bodies have been recovered. This is a testament to our unwavering courage and coordination."
Construction worker Anil (who only gave his first name) recalled the moment he was rescued after being buried by the avalanche. Speaking to AFP by telephone from his hospital bed, he said: "It was like God's angels came to save us. We were swallowed by the snow and had little hope of survival." He said that being alive now feels "like a dream." Another relative, Dan Singh Bisht, said that his son and nephew were able to survive thanks to the rapid action of the rescue team. "I am very grateful to them," he said.
Initially, authorities believed there were 55 workers at the site, but this was later revised to 54, as one worker previously thought to be buried had safely returned home before the avalanche. Anil said that many of the workers were asleep when the avalanche struck, while others were in makeshift toilets. The avalanche occurred at around 6 a.m. local time on Friday. The workers were working on a project for the Border Roads Organisation in the remote area, and they lived in steel containers on site, which were considered stronger than tents and able to withstand harsh weather.
Anil recalled that the container he and his colleagues were in began to slide as the ground beneath them began to shake. "At first we didn't understand what was happening, but when we looked out of the container's window, we saw piles of snow all around," he said. "The roof of the container was also slowly bending inwards." He said that everyone started screaming for help, and some people were lucky enough to escape the container. "But not everyone managed to escape, and they were still trapped inside," he said. His colleague, Vipin Kumar, struggling to breathe under the thick snow and unable to move, thought "this is it." He told The Times of India: "I heard a loud noise, like thunder... before I could react, everything went black."
The area is located at an altitude of over 3,200 meters, and minimum temperatures drop to minus 12 degrees Celsius. Avalanches and landslides are common in the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas, especially in winter.
