DEHRADUN, INDIA, March 3 (Alliance News): Rescuers have recovered the eighth and final body from the site of an avalanche in Uttarakhand, marking the end of an extensive search operation in extreme sub-zero conditions, the Indian army confirmed on Sunday.
The avalanche struck a construction camp near Mana village on the Tibet border on Friday, burying more than 50 workers under snow and debris.
Authorities later revised the total number of affected workers from 55 to 54 after confirming that one had reached home safely before the disaster.
The army deployed drones and rescue dogs to assist in the search, eventually locating all missing persons. Survivors recounted harrowing experiences, with one worker, Anil, describing his rescue as “a miracle.” Speaking from his hospital bed, he said, “It was as if God’s angels had come to save us.”
The workers, employed on a Border Roads Organisation project, were staying in steel containers designed to withstand harsh weather. Anil recalled how the ground shook before their container was buried under snow. Some managed to escape, but others remained trapped.
Avalanches and landslides are common in the Himalayas, especially in winter, with scientists warning that climate change and rapid development have intensified such disasters.
In 2021, nearly 100 people died in Uttarakhand due to a glacier collapse, and devastating monsoon floods in 2013 claimed 6,000 lives, raising concerns over deforestation and construction in the fragile region.
