Over 40 missing after avalanche in Indian Himalayas: rescuers

The National Times - Over 40 missing after avalanche in Indian Himalayas: rescuers

Over 40 missing after avalanche in Indian Himalayas: rescuers / Photo: © State Disaster Response Force (SDRF)/AFP

More than 40 construction workers were missing after an avalanche in India's Himalayan state of Uttarakhand on Friday following heavy snowfall, officials said.

Change text size:

Rescue teams dug for hours through heavy snow, Ridhim Agarwal of the state disaster relief force said in a statement, adding: "So far, 15 workers are safe while 42 are missing."

The avalanche hit a construction camp in Chamoli district, burying the workers under snow and debris.

As soon as the weather conditions improve, high-altitude rescue teams will be deployed by helicopter to the scene, she added.

Deepam Seth, the state's top police officer, said the bad weather was hampering the rescue operations.

"It has been snowing with strong winds... The roads are completely blocked. We have deployed snow cutters to open the road," he told broadcaster NDTV.

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said he was "saddened" by the incident and was monitoring the rescue operations.

Avalanches and landslides are common in the upper reaches of the Himalayas, especially during the winter season.

Scientists have shown that climate change spurred by humans burning fossil fuels is making weather events more severe, super-charged by warmer oceans.

The increased pace of development in the fragile Himalayan regions has also heightened fears about the fallout from deforestation and construction.

In 2021, nearly 100 people died in Uttarakhand after a huge glacier chunk fell into a river, triggering flash floods.

And devastating monsoon floods and landslides in 2013 killed 6,000 people and led to calls for a review of development projects in the state.

I.Paterson--TNT

Man Legally Changes Name to James Blunt After Six-Year Quest for Celebrity's Favorite Cheese

A British man has officially changed his legal name to James Délice de Bourgogne Blunt, fulfilling a long-standing personal wager with the singer-songwriter. The decision concludes a six-year campaign to discover the artist's preferred cheese, which was revealed as Délice de Bourgogne after Blunt’s album reached number one on the charts.

Niall Horan Fans Regret Missing Kingfishr Collaboration at Final Dublin Concert

Niall Horan concluded his four-night residency at Dublin’s 3Arena with a series of collaborations that left fans who missed the final date wishing they had been present. The singer performed alongside Irish indie folk group Kingfishr and paid an emotional tribute to late One Direction bandmate Liam Payne during the run.

Documentary Reveals How Screams Exposed Alleged Camgirl Exploitation Ring

A new documentary by TMZ Studios examines how the distress of women in a camgirl network led to the exposure of an alleged exploitation ring. The film focuses on Nikita Tyukalo, who prosecutors claim controlled creators through coercion, with one pivotal moment involving audible screams during a live stream.

The National Times - Over 40 missing after avalanche in Indian Himalayas: rescuers