Chamoli (Uttarakhand), Mar 1: A drone-based intelligent buried object detection system will be airlifted by the Indian Air Force for deployment in search and rescue operations of the five other missing Border Road Organisation (BRO) workers following the avalanche in the Mana area of Chamoli.

"A drone-based Intelligent buried object detection system to be airlifted by the Indian Air Force for deployment in search and rescue operations in the Mana area of Chamoli. The system would be airlifted to Dehradun, from where it will be taken to the Mana area in helicopters," said Indian Air Force officials.

Meanwhile, Defence Public Relations Officer (PRO), Dehradun said that four people have lost their lives in the avalanche.

Speaking about the Mana avalanche, PRO Defence Lt Colonel Manish Shrivastava said, "Rescue operation is going on. 50 people have been rescued in this entire operation and unfortunately, 4 of the rescued people have suffered serious injuries, so there have been 4 deaths in this. Priority has been given to evacuating the injured and priority has been given to evacuating the people trapped there."

The death toll in the avalanche has claimed the lives of 4 people who had been rescued from the site. The search for 5 others is still underway. There were 55 people when the incident occurred near the Mana village of Chamoli on Friday.

Visuals showed Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel carrying out rescue operations in the avalanche-hit area of Chamoli district.

Lieutenant General Anindya Sengupta, General Officer Commanding in Central Command (GOC-in-C), shared the development on the Mana avalanche incident and said that all assistance, including UAVs and radars, will be pressed into service once the weather and road conditions are conducive.

"Currently, air effort is being put in to take out the casualties. We hope that with coordination with all agencies, we will complete the operation by this evening," said the official.

Earlier in the day, Chamoli district magistrate Sandeep Tiwari also spoke to ANI and said, "The rescue operation began yesterday and until yesterday 33 workers were rescued. 17 more have been rescued today. In total, 50 people have been rescued, and a search operation for other missing people is underway to trace them."

The Indian Army said 55 Border Roads Organisation (BRO) workers were trapped under snow after an avalanche on Friday morning. The avalanche hit the BRO camp, burying the workers inside eight containers and a shed.

Earlier in the day, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said excess snowfall was hampering rescue efforts.

The Chief Minister also conducted an aerial survey of the avalanche-affected area this morning. "More than five blocks in the region have no electricity or internet because of continuous snow. We will restore connectivity in the area as soon as possible. More than 200 personnel are deployed for rescue operations," he said.

The Chief Minister met the workers undergoing treatment at the Army Hospital and inquired about their well-being.

He directed the District Magistrate that there should be no shortage of necessary resources in the search and rescue operation and said the Central Government is also providing all the necessary assistance.

District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari, while providing information to the Chief Minister, said that an avalanche occurred near Mana Pass yesterday.

"57 BRO labourers lived in containers there, out of which 2 labourers were on leave. Out of 55 workers, ITBP and the Army have conducted a rapid search and have rescued 50 people so far. 4 helicopters have been sent by the Central Government and the State Government. With their help, 25 workers have been brought to Jyotirmath so far," said the DM.

(ANI)

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