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| Uttarakhand: Dozens found alive in metal containers after India avalanche | Uttarakhand: Dozens found alive in metal containers after India avalanche |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Rescuers managed to open up the metal containers to pull out survivors | Rescuers managed to open up the metal containers to pull out survivors |
| Dozens of construction workers have been pulled out alive from metal containers after they were buried by an avalanche in the Himalayas in India's Uttarakhand state. | Dozens of construction workers have been pulled out alive from metal containers after they were buried by an avalanche in the Himalayas in India's Uttarakhand state. |
| They survived - some as long as nearly two days - as the containers in which they were living had enough oxygen to sustain them until rescuers could dig them out, Indian media reported quoting officials. | |
| On Friday, 54 workers were buried when the avalanche hit a construction camp near Mana village. Eight were killed, while the other 46 were rescued. | |
| The operation lasted almost 60 hours in sub-zero temperatures and concluded on Sunday. | |
| Most of the labourers, who were working on a highway expansion project, were able to "withstand the wrecking avalanche" because of the containers, rescuers told The Indian Express newspaper. | Most of the labourers, who were working on a highway expansion project, were able to "withstand the wrecking avalanche" because of the containers, rescuers told The Indian Express newspaper. |
| "These metal shelters saved most of them. They had just enough oxygen to hold on until we got them out," a senior rescue official told The Times of India. | "These metal shelters saved most of them. They had just enough oxygen to hold on until we got them out," a senior rescue official told The Times of India. |
| The newspaper reported that the force of the avalanche had hurled eight metal containers and a shed down the mountain. | The newspaper reported that the force of the avalanche had hurled eight metal containers and a shed down the mountain. |
| Uttarakhand state Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has thanked rescue teams for their efforts in challenging conditions. | Uttarakhand state Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has thanked rescue teams for their efforts in challenging conditions. |
| Members of the Indian army, national and state disaster response forces and local administration had worked to free the workers, using helicopters and drones for the operation. | Members of the Indian army, national and state disaster response forces and local administration had worked to free the workers, using helicopters and drones for the operation. |
| The rescue operation lasted almost 60 hours in sub-zero temperature | The rescue operation lasted almost 60 hours in sub-zero temperature |
| Many of the rescued workers are receiving treatment at hospitals in the state's Joshimath town and Rishikesh city. | Many of the rescued workers are receiving treatment at hospitals in the state's Joshimath town and Rishikesh city. |
| Satyaprakash Yadav, a migrant worker from Uttar Pradesh who was among those rescued, said the "avalanche hit our container like a landslide", according to a video released by the army. | Satyaprakash Yadav, a migrant worker from Uttar Pradesh who was among those rescued, said the "avalanche hit our container like a landslide", according to a video released by the army. |
| He added that the container he was in broke apart when the snow hit and it ended up near a river. | He added that the container he was in broke apart when the snow hit and it ended up near a river. |
| "We managed to get out on our own and reached a nearby army guest house, where we stayed overnight," he added. | "We managed to get out on our own and reached a nearby army guest house, where we stayed overnight," he added. |
| Rajnish Kumar, a worker from Uttarkhand's Pithoragarh town, said most of them were sleeping when the avalanche struck. | Rajnish Kumar, a worker from Uttarkhand's Pithoragarh town, said most of them were sleeping when the avalanche struck. |
| "When the snow hit the container, it sank about 50 to 60 metres down [the mountain]. The Army arrived quickly and rescued us," he said, according to the army video. | "When the snow hit the container, it sank about 50 to 60 metres down [the mountain]. The Army arrived quickly and rescued us," he said, according to the army video. |
| Gaurav Kunwar, a former village council member of Mana, told the BBC on Friday the area where the avalanche hit was a "migratory area" and that it had no permanent residents. | Gaurav Kunwar, a former village council member of Mana, told the BBC on Friday the area where the avalanche hit was a "migratory area" and that it had no permanent residents. |
| "Only labourers working on border roads stay there in the winter," he said, adding that it had rained for two days prior to the avalanche. | "Only labourers working on border roads stay there in the winter," he said, adding that it had rained for two days prior to the avalanche. |
| The India Meteorological Department has warned of rainfall and snow in the northern states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, as well as Jammu and Kashmir until Tuesday. | The India Meteorological Department has warned of rainfall and snow in the northern states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, as well as Jammu and Kashmir until Tuesday. |
| Avalanches and landslides are common in the higher regions of the Himalayas, especially during winter. | Avalanches and landslides are common in the higher regions of the Himalayas, especially during winter. |
| Experts say that climate change has made extreme weather more severe and less predictable. There has also been a rapid rise in deforestation and construction in Uttarakhand's hilly areas in recent years. | Experts say that climate change has made extreme weather more severe and less predictable. There has also been a rapid rise in deforestation and construction in Uttarakhand's hilly areas in recent years. |
| In 2021, near 100 people died in Uttarakhand after a piece of a Himalayan glacier fell into the river, triggering flash floods. | In 2021, near 100 people died in Uttarakhand after a piece of a Himalayan glacier fell into the river, triggering flash floods. |
| Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. | Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. |