The death toll from the avalanche in northern India rose to five on Sunday. Survivors shared their dramatic rescue stories after spending hours trapped under snow and debris.
Rescue teams found one body and continued searching for three others still missing, according to the army.
More than 50 workers were buried under snow when the avalanche hit a construction camp on Friday. The camp was near Mana village, located on the Tibet border in Uttarakhand, a state in northern India.
Authorities adjusted the number of workers from 55 to 54. One worker, previously thought to be trapped, had safely returned home before the avalanche struck.
Although teams rescued 50 workers, four of them later died from their injuries.
Anil, a construction worker in his late 20s, recalled his rescue. “It felt like angels had come to save us,” he said from his hospital bed.
He continued, “We had no hope when the snow buried us. Now, being alive feels like a dream.”
The army deployed a drone-based detection system to help locate the missing workers. Rescue teams also used multiple drones and a dog in their search.
‘Not everyone made it’
The workers lived in steel containers designed to withstand harsh weather. The Border Roads Organisation oversees the project they worked on.
Anil explained that many workers were asleep when the avalanche hit at 6:00 am. Some were in makeshift toilets at the time.
“At first, we didn’t understand what was happening. But when we looked out the window, we saw piles of snow. The roof was bending inward,” he said.
Everyone started calling for help. A few workers managed to escape, but not all made it out.
‘Like thunder’
Vipin Kumar, a colleague of Anil, thought he was going to die. He found himself trapped under the snow and struggled to breathe.
“I heard a roar, like thunder. Before I could react, everything went dark,” Kumar said.
The workers were at an altitude of over 3,200 metres (10,500 feet). Temperatures fell to minus 12°C (10°F).
Dhan Singh Bisht expressed gratitude after learning his son and nephew survived. “I’m thankful to the rescue teams,” he said in a phone interview with AFP.
Avalanche and landslides in the Himalayas
Avalanches and landslides are common in the Himalayan region, especially during winter.
Experts warn that climate change is worsening these events. Rapid development in fragile areas also raises concerns about deforestation and construction.
In 2021, a glacier fell into a river in Uttarakhand, triggering flash floods that killed nearly 100 people. In 2013, monsoon floods and landslides claimed 6,000 lives and led to calls for a review of development projects in the state.
