Over 40 Workers Missing After Avalanche in Uttarakhand
More than 40 construction workers remain unaccounted for after an avalanche struck India’s Himalayan state of Uttarakhand on Friday, following intense snowfall, officials reported.
The avalanche hit a construction site in Chamoli district, burying workers beneath snow and debris. Rescue teams worked for hours to locate survivors, with Ridhim Agarwal of the state disaster relief force confirming that 15 workers had been rescued while 42 were still missing.
Efforts to deploy high-altitude rescue teams via helicopter will begin once weather conditions improve, she added.
Deepam Seth, the state’s top police official, highlighted the challenges posed by extreme weather, stating that heavy snowfall and strong winds had blocked roads. “We are using snow cutters to clear the paths,” he told NDTV.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep concern over the tragedy and assured that rescue operations were being closely monitored.
Avalanches and landslides frequently occur in the upper Himalayas, especially during winter. Scientists warn that climate change, driven by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, is intensifying extreme weather events. Additionally, rapid development in the fragile Himalayan region has raised concerns over deforestation and construction-related risks.
In 2021, nearly 100 people lost their lives in Uttarakhand when a glacier fragment broke off, causing catastrophic flash floods. Similarly, devastating monsoon floods and landslides in 2013 claimed 6,000 lives, prompting calls for reassessing development projects in the region.
