Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE: 33 BRO workers rescued, search continues for 22

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced the establishment of a temporary control room in Joshimath on Friday to facilitate better monitoring of ongoing rescue operations following the avalanche that trapped 52 Border Roads Organisation (BRO) workers.

Dhami stated that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), along with the offices of the Home Minister and Defence Minister, were receiving regular updates on the situation.

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: Thirty-three out of 55 Border Roads Organisation (BRO) workers trapped under an avalanche in the high-altitude village of Mana in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district have been rescued. Concerns are growing for the remaining 22 as night falls over the snowbound slopes, forcing a temporary halt to rescue operations.

Providing an update on the situation, Uttarakhand’s disaster management secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said that 33 workers had been brought to safety, while efforts to locate the remaining 22 continue amid challenging weather conditions.

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: Indian Air Force has kept its medium-lift chopper Mi-17 V5s and light helicopters ready for relief operations in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, ANI reported, citing officials.

As soon as the weather conditions improve in the area, the Indian Air Force will be ready to deploy its assets for relief operations in coordination with the local administration, they said.

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday evening visited the disaster control room to review the situation and held a meeting with officials, directing them to expedite the rescue operation, according to ANI. So far, 33 people have been rescued, and searches for others are underway.

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: According to the Uttarakhand government, 33 people have been safely rescued from the avalanche in Mana of Chamoli district.

(via ANI)

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami says that a temporary control room will be set up in Joshimath.

“Since the workers who are trapped have come from different states, we have issued helpline numbers for them... We are just praying that everyone comes out safe... The disaster management department, district administration, ITBP, Indian Army, NDRF, and SDRF, are all working to rescue the trapped workers... We will utilise the window we get, as per the weather forecast, to airlift the rescued workers to the hospital...” he says, according to ANI.

He also adds that the offices of the prime minister, home minister and defence minister are constantly taking updates on the situation.

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: Uttarakhand disaster management department says that the rescue work is being undertaken on a war footing.

" By 5:00 pm, 32 people had been rescued safely. The process of evacuating the remaining 25 people is in progress. Relief and rescue work is going on on a war footing to rescue people trapped in the avalanche 6 km ahead of Badrinath Dham in Chamoli district," the department said, according to ANI.

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: “By 5pm, 32 people had been rescued safely. The process of evacuating the remaining 25 people is in progress,” the Uttarakhand disaster management department said, according to ANI.

Relief and rescue work is going on on a war footing to rescue people trapped in the avalanche 6 km ahead of Badrinath Dham in Chamoli district."

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: On the Chamoli avalanche, DM Sandeep Tiwari tells ANI: "Out of 57 workers trapped in the avalanche, 32 workers have been rescued."

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: Google Earth visuals show the remote spot in Chamoli amid the lofty Himalayan mountains where 41 BRO labourers are still trapped after an avalanche hit their camp. See here.

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: BRO executive engineer, CR Meena, says that the rescue operation is underway, but the team is facing difficulties due to heavy snowfall.

"Three to four ambulances have also been sent, but due to heavy snowfall, the rescue team is facing difficulties in reaching there," the BRO Executive Engineer says, according to ANI.

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: Disaster management secretary Vinod Kumar Suman tells PTI: "The situation is critical there, because there is 6-7 feet of snow. A team of 65 is carrying out the rescue operation there..."

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: "The situation there is difficult as there is continuous snowfall in the area. A team of 65 people is engaged in the rescue mission…We have made a demand for Army helicopter. Rescued persons have been admitted to ITBP hospital in Mana," Uttarakhand disaster management secretary Vinod Suman tells ANI.

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) says that it is sending four teams to Uttarakhand's border district of Chamoli, where BRO workers are trapped after an avalanche, reports PTI.

NDRF Director General (DG) Piyush Anand told PTI that apart from these teams, another four units have been kept on standby. "The rescue mission has been activated and the Union home minister (Amit Shah) has directed for a quick response. Four NDRF teams are being rushed (to the spot)," he says.

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: On the Chamoli avalanche rescue operation, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami says that helicopter service cannot be used due to bad weather.

"Rescue mission is underway. Due to inclement weather, helicopter service cannot be used. We are trying to rescue the labourers. The offices of the PM and home minister are in touch with us," he says, according to ANI.

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: ITBP officials are briefing Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami on the operation to rescue labourers trapped in an avalanche near Mana in Chamoli district, reports ANI.

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: According to PTI, the Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE) in Chandigarh had issued an avalanche warning for a period of 24 hours at 5pm on Thursday for places located above 2,400 metres in Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar districts.

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: According to the Chamoli DM, 57 labourers were at the camp when the avalanche struck between Mana and Mana pass in the morning.

"These labourers do regular snow clearing work on the route for army movement towards the Tibet border... As of now we have no news of any casualty. Rescue teams have been mobilised. But due to active snowfall and rain in the area, rescue work is slow," DM Sandeep Tiwari was quoted as saying by PTI.

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: The avalanche buried a camp of the Border Roads Organisation between Mana and Badrinath, according to Chamoli DM Sandeep Tiwari.

Mana, three kilometres from Badrinath, is the last village on the India-Tibet border at a height of 3,200 metres, according to PTI.

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami is holding a meeting with the state's top officials at the state disaster control room to review the progress in the ongoing operation to rescue those trapped in Chamoli after an avalanche, reports ANI.

Union defence minister Rajnath Singh says that he spoke with Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami regarding the avalanche.

“The administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected,” Singh writes on X. “Rescue efforts by local Army units are also underway. All efforts to rescue the trapped personnel are being undertaken by utilising all available resources.”

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: Union home minister Amit Shah says that he spoke with Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, DG ITBP and DG NDRF regarding the avalanche in Chamoli.

“Rescuing the people trapped in the accident is our priority.,” Shah wrote on X. “The local administration is fully engaged in the rescue operations. Two teams of the NDRF are also reaching the incident site soon.”

Uttarakhand avalanche LIVE updates: An avalanche buried a camp of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) between Uttarakhand's Mana and Badrinath on Friday morning. The snowslide had initially buried 57 men, but 16 of them were rescued.