An avalanche struck a camp near Mana, affecting 55 construction workers housed in containers. Gopal Joshi, who had been operating machinery, recalled the chaos as a roaring snow cascade approached around 6 am. Despite the swift response from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, four workers died, and many others were injured. Most survivors faced challenges escaping due to deep snow. Workers from various states were employed by Vijay Infra Construction Company and were treated at an Army hospital in Jyotirmath, with two severely injured sent to AIIMS, Rishikesh. The incident highlights the dangers of winter conditions in the region.
Jyotirmath:
Gopal Joshi, one of the 55 construction workers living in containers near Mana, stepped outside expecting another quiet morning. Instead, he faced a menacing rush of snow barreling toward them with alarming speed. The avalanche, a frequent occurrence in the area during winter, ultimately left the site in disarray, as the workers struggled through deep snow, trying to escape an impending burial.
Fifty workers were rescued, but tragically, four lost their lives on Saturday.
Joshi, originally from Narayanbagar in the Chamoli district, had been operating an accelerator machine for several months. His team was working at a BRO camp under Vijay Infra Construction Company.
Everything transpired so quickly, recalled Joshi, who, along with 22 of his colleagues, was treated at the Army’s Jyotirmath hospital.
The weather had been terrible for days, he noted.
“Snow was falling outside. The event must have taken place around 6 am. As soon as we exited the container, we heard a deafening roar. Looking up, we saw a torrent of snow surging toward us. I yelled to warn my coworkers and ran, but the thick snow made it difficult to move fast. After a couple of hours, we were rescued by soldiers from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police,” he explained.
Joshi and his colleagues were airlifted from Mana to Jyotirmath on Saturday for treatment at the military hospital. He sustained a minor head injury and had chest pain.
Vipin Kumar from Himachal Pradesh, who suffered a back injury, mentioned he was trapped under snow for around 15 minutes.
“I could only escape once the avalanche ceased,” recounted Kumar, who described the experience as his second chance at life.
Another worker, Manoj Bhandari, awoke to a “mountain of snow” cascading from the summit. “I shouted to warn everyone and dashed behind a loader machine nearby to protect myself. Three workers from Mathura said their attempt to flee the avalanche was obstructed by “several feet of snow.” Jagbir Singh from Amritsar, Punjab, noted he and his team ran toward Badrinath.
Most of the 19 individuals who were rescued and brought to the Army Hospital suffered injuries to their back, head, hands, and legs.
Two of those who were seriously injured were airlifted to AIIMS, Rishikesh.
The workers reported they were living in five containers positioned along the roadside.
The site employed 55 laborers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir, contracted by GREF.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)