DEHRADUN: The area near Mana village in Uttarakhand, where an avalanche struck the BRO workers’ camp on Friday, burying at least 57 men – of which 22 are still missing – is considered one of the most avalanche-prone and high-risk zones in the state.
Friday’s avalanche hit a stretch of the national highway linking Mana to Ghastoli, a region classified as a high-risk avalanche zone. In fact, this is not the first time that Indian Army and BRO camps were hit by an avalanche in this region. In April 2021, a glacial burst-triggered avalanche struck Malari-Sumna area in Chamoli district, near the India-China border, killing at least 10 people. The victims were BRO workers engaged in construction activities.
According to officials of the State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA), several avalanches were recorded in recent years across the state’s higher reaches, including Gaumukh Glacier, Hemkund Sahib, Ghastoli, and the Kalindi-Badrinath track.
According to USDMA, avalanches are common in the Himalayan region with altitudes over 3,500 metres and where the slope is generally more than 30 degrees. North-facing slopes are known to have avalanches in winter, whereas south-facing slopes usually get them during the springtime.
Commenting on the avalanche risk in Uttarakhand, Piyoosh Rautela, former executive director of USDMA, said, “Just like landslide-prone zones, avalanche-prone areas can also be mapped. Once identified, no camps or settlements should be established in these high-risk zones.” He further added, “In most avalanche incidents, it is either tourists or workers operating in these regions who usually become the victims since almost all the inhabited villages in these high-altitude regions are migratory, with residents relocating to lower areas during winter.”