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The Independent

At least four dead as massive avalanche hits Himalayan construction workers

At least four people were killed after an avalanche trapped dozens of construction workers in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand bordering Tibet. Fifty-five workers were initially trapped under snow after they were hit by an avalanche on Friday in the Chamoli district near the India-China border. Rescuers managed to pull out 50 of the trapped workers, but four of them died later, the Indian army said in a statement on Saturday. The search for the five remaining workers was still ongoing on Saturday afternoon as heavy snowfall made it difficult for rescuers to reach the area. Authorities could not deploy helicopters immediately to the area due to heavy rain and snowfall in the region. 'Since satellite phones and other such equipment are not available there, we have not been able to have a clear communication,' Chamoli district magistrate Sandeep Tiwari was quoted saying by The Times of India. Rescue work is still hampered by several feet of snow, snowstorms, and poor visibility, officials say. 'Approximately 170 soldiers along with medical teams are working tirelessly in extremely challenging weather conditions,' the army said. The injured are 'being prioritised for evacuation,' the army said, without specifying the exact number of workers requiring hospitalisation. Injured workers are being taken from Mana to the pilgrim town of Joshimath about 50 km away via Indian Army-hired civil helicopters, according to India's state news broadcaster DD. Many of the trapped workers were migrant labourers deployed on part of a highway widening project along a 50 km (31 mile) stretch from Mana, the last village on the Indian side, to the Mana Pass bordering Tibet. This part of the Himalayas is ecologically sensitive and prone to avalanches and landslides. Experts have warned that major construction projects such as hydroelectric dams and new highways are increasing the risk of such calamities in the area already facing threats from the climate crisis. In 2022, 27 mountaineers were killed in an avalanche in the northern Uttarakhand region, and a year before that, a deadly rock and ice avalanche severely damaged two hydropower plants and left over 200 people dead. Geologists say global warming is making the area's frozen soil more unstable, leading to more frequent landslides and avalanches.