HIMALAYAN HEROS : WORKERS CHEATED DEATH AFTER 36 HOURS UNDER SNOW.
Dozens of construction workers in northern India miraculously survived being buried under an avalanche for 36 hours. The workers were trapped in metal containers near a construction site in the village of Mana, Uttarakhand state, after heavy snowfall triggered the avalanche last Friday.
According to authorities, 46 workers survived inside the containers, while eight workers lost their lives. Many of the rescued workers were migrant laborers constructing a highway in the remote region.
The Indian Army launched a rescue operation, and soldiers with sniffer dogs worked to locate the buried containers. One survivor recalled the rescue efforts, saying, "Whoever could be taken out immediately was taken out … we got full support."
The use of metal containers as temporary accommodation likely saved many lives, according to Lt. Col. Manish Srivastava, a defense spokesperson in Uttarakhand state. "The containers… kept people safe and in fact made the rescue efforts easier," he explained.
Avalanches and landslides are common in the Himalayas, especially during winter. However, the human-induced climate crisis is exacerbating extreme weather events, making them more severe and unpredictable. Glaciers in the Himalayas melted 65% faster in the 2010s compared to the previous decade, increasing the risk of floods, landslides, and avalanches in mountain communities.¹