Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 1 : Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak stated on Saturday that the state government is in constant touch with the Uttarakhand administration regarding the rescue operations for Uttar Pradesh workers trapped in the Chamoli avalanche.
"The Uttarakhand government is making continuous efforts to rescue workers from Uttar Pradesh who are trapped in the incident (avalanche) there. We are in continuous touch with the Uttarakhand government. We pray to God for their safe return home. We are also in touch with the relatives of the workers," he told ANI.
Meanwhile, four army choppers have been pressed into rescue operations to save eight people still trapped under snow in the avalanche that struck near Mana Village in the Chamoli district of the state, district magistrate Sandeep Tiwari said on Saturday. A total of 47 out of the 55 trapped workers have been rescued so far, he said.
The Chamoli District Magistrate further said four helicopters have arrived with the help of the Centre and State governments and have joined the rescue operations.
"Of the total 55 people, 47 have been rescued from Mana. We have brought seven people to Joshimath Hospital, and they are under treatment. They are under doctors' observation. Three of them are stable...I hope that the remaining people will also be rescued soon."
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Uttarakhand Chief Minister and reviewed the rescue operation.
"Respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji spoke on the phone and took information about the rescue operation being carried out to safely evacuate the workers trapped in Mana of Chamoli district," CM Dhami posted on X.
Workers of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had got trapped under snow when the avalanche struck on Friday and teams from the NDRF, Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police working on a war footing in a joint operation have managed to pull out 47 workers out of the 55 people trapped so far and the search for eight remaining have intensified.
The Uttarakhand government has issued the following helpline numbers: Mobile No: 8218867005, 9058441404; Telephone No: 0135 2664315; Toll-Free No: 1070.