As many as 41 construction workers are trapped under huge blocks of snow after an avalanche struck in the Indian Himalayas, according to officials.
Road construction workers were working near a highway in Uttarkhand’s Chamoli region, near the border with Tibet, when a glacier burst, according to local news reports.
Local police said 57 construction workers were initially buried under the snow, but 16 workers had been rescued so far.
They said three of those had been transported to a military hospital for treatment in a serious condition, with efforts underway to locate the other missing workers.
The region’s top elected official, Pushkar Singh Dhami, confirmed the news on X, saying relief and rescue efforts were continuing.
“Sad news was received about many workers being buried under avalanche during construction work being carried out by BRO near Mana village in Chamoli district,” he wrote.
Officials said the Indian army were helping with rescue operations, despite continuing heavy snowfall and other minor avalanches making conditions difficult.
The ecologically sensitive Himalayan region, which has been severely affected by global warming, is prone to avalanches.
In 2022, 27 trainee mountaineers were killed in an avalanche in northern Uttarakhand region.
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