Avalanche in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, trapped 55 workers in Maanda village, prompting intense rescue missions. Indian Air Force's Cheetah helicopters have been ceaselessly operating for three days. So far, 50 people have been successfully rescued, while four workers are still missing. More than 200 personnel from ITBP, BRO, SDRF, and NDRF, alongside four army helicopters, are engaged in the rescue mission.
One missing person was confirmed to have returned home without notifying authorities, reducing the number of missing workers to four. The Indian army, ITBP, and BRO are working tirelessly around the clock. With today's clear weather, the pace of the operation is expected to accelerate.
All workers' containers have been found, though no one was inside. Ground Penetrating Radar has been requisitioned from Delhi to aid in locating the four missing workers. The equipment has now reached Maana village. As the weather improves, rescued workers are being airlifted by helicopter to the military hospital in Joshimath for further medical treatment.
Source: aajtak
An SDRF team, equipped with victim locating and thermal imaging cameras, has set off to locate the remaining workers amidst the avalanche in Maana-Badrinath.
Search Helicopters in Action
Under the guidance of Inspector General SDRF, Ridhim Aggarwal, a specialized SDRF team equipped with a Victim Locating Camera (VLC) and a thermal camera left from Sahastradhara via helicopter to the avalanche site in Maana. These tools are essential for a thorough search effort.
The DIBOD system (Drone-based Intelligent Buried Object Detection) and six technicians were airlifted from Hindon via Air Force Dornier aircraft and are soon to be transported to Maana by IAF's Mi-17 helicopters. This system is deployed to identify and assess workers trapped beneath the snow. The IAF's Cheetah helicopters continue airlifting rescue personnel for medical care and support.
