PrashantNews
With the recovery of three more bodies on Sunday, Arvind Kumar Singh of Dehradun is the only missing person left in the Friday’s avalanche at the high-altitude Mana area of Uttarakhand.
Three persons whose bodies were recovered on Sunday have been identified as Harmesh Chand (Una, Himachal), Anil Kumar (Udhamsingh Nagar, UK) and Ashok Paswan (Fatehpur, UP).
With the recovery of three bodies, the toll in the avalanche has gone up to seven.
Forty six workers have been rescued so far. Most of these workers are getting medical care in various hospitals. A total of 54 labourers were inside eight BRO containers for the road work in Mana area when the avalanche hit with a frightening speed from a nearby lofty mountain on Friday morning.
The army in a new update said search and rescue operations to locate the remaining lone worker who is still feared trapped under the snow is continuing under the supervision and coordination of Commander IBEX Brigade at the avalanche site.
The army was using all necessary equipments and resources in the search operation. Sniffer dogs were also searching for the lone worker, the army said.
Meanwhile, one person identified as Sunil Kumar has reached his home in Kangra in Himachal Pradesh safely as he had left Mana few days ago without informing the BRO authorities.
On Friday 33 labourers were rescued after the avalanche struck Mana area situated near Badrinath shrine amid the season’s heaviest snowfall. On Saturday, 17 more workers were rescued as the weather improved considerably allowing the army to fly helicopters for the search operation. Out of the 54 workers, seven have died, some during the medical treatment.
The state government said the Army, ITBP, NDRF and SDRF are engaged in the rescue operation.
The Mana avalanche episode came more than a year after 41 workers in Silkayara tunnel in Uttarkashi district were safely brought out on November 29, 2023 after remaining trapped for 17 days.