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India: At least 25 trapped after Himalayan avalanche

Emmy Sasipornkarn with AP, AFP, Reuters
February 28, 2025

A large construction crew working on a highway in India's Himalayan state of Uttarakhand was swept away by an avalanche. Rescue teams are working to locate the missing workers.

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Rescue operations for trapped construction workers who were swept away by an avalanche near the Mana Pass in northern Uttarakhand state on Feb 28, 2025.
The rescue operations for trapped construction workers were hampered by the bad weatherImage: Indian Army/AP Photo/picture alliance

At least 25 people remain trapped under snow after an avalanche in India's Himalayan state of Uttarakhand on Friday following heavy snowfall in the region, authorities said.

An avalanche hit a construction camp near India's mountainous border with Tibet. At least three workers were injured.

"The avalanche rescue operation of the Army continues unabated despite harsh weather conditions and continuing snow," the Indian Army posted on X. 

What we know so far about the avalanche

The avalanche initially trapped 57 construction workers. Authorities said 22 people managed to escape while 10 were pulled out by rescue teams.

Three of them were transported to a military hospital for treatment, according to senior police officer Rajeev Swaroop.

"It has been snowing with strong winds," Deepam Seth, the state's top police officer, told broadcaster NDTV. "The roads are completely blocked. We have deployed snow cutters to open the road."

Avalanches and landslides are common in mountainous terrain like the Himalayas, especially during the winter season.

Himalayas residents feel impact of climate change

Edited by: Rana Taha

Emmy Sasipornkarn Srimingkwanchai
Emmy Sasipornkarn Multimedia journalist with a focus on Asia