At least four people died in the state of Utarahad, India, in the Himalayas due to a snowstorm, according to local media.
The incident occurred on Friday, February 28 in the Samoli area, less than five kilometers from the popular Hindu Bandrinth Temple, which is visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year.
A total of 55 workers involved in road construction were buried under snow. According to the Indian army, 50 people were initially rescued but four of them succumbed to their wounds.
“Unfortunately, it has been confirmed that four people succumbed to their wounds,” the army said.
Five still remain missing. Rescuers are operating with six helicopters to identify them as the roads are blocked. But their work is difficult for low visibility and dense snow.
Uttarakhand | 14 civilians have been rescued and evacuted from avalanche site by Indian Army this morning. Search and rescue operations continuing for more than 24 hours. With slight respite in the weather, three injured personnel evacuated from Mana to Joshimath for critical…
– years (@ani)
Avalantes are common in the upper areas of the Himalayas, especially during the winter.
The village of Mana, located near the point of the tragedy, had been deserted after residents moved to lower altitudes to escape the extreme weather, The Indian Express reports.
In 2022, 27 people were killed in the same state. A year earlier, almost 100 people died when a huge piece of glacier fell into a river, causing floods.
