Chamoli (Uttarakhand) [India], February 28 (ANI): After a massive avalanche hit Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on Friday, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that he had spoken to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami regarding the situation and assured that local Army units are providing all possible assistance to those affected.

In a post on X, he said, 'An unfortunate avalanche has occurred in the Mana area of Joshimath (Uttarakhand) today impacting the GREF camp of BRO. Spoke to CM Shri @pushkardhami regarding the situation. The administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected,' he said.

'Rescue efforts by local Army units are also underway. All efforts to rescue the trapped personnel are being undertaken by utilising all available resources,' he added further.

Meanwhile, CM Dhami took stock of rescue efforts to free workers trapped under snow in the massive avalanche that struck near Mana village in the Chamoli district of the State.

He reached the state disaster Control Room to review the efforts to rescue the 41 out of 57 workers still trapped under snow.

A total of 57 workers of the Border Roads Organisation engaged in construction work on the border area of Mana village in Badrinath got trapped under the snow. Sixteen of them have been pulled out, and efforts are on to search for the others officials said on Friday.

The BRO is a road construction executive force that provides support to and is a part of the Indian Armed Forces. CM Dhami said that relief and rescue operations are underway by personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and BRO.

Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari said that personnel from the Indian Army, the ITBP, and the state disaster relief force had been mobilised for the rescue operation. 'Information about an avalanche has been received.

'Around 57 labourers of BRO (Border Roads Organisation), who undertake snow-clearing operations, had camped there. Our teams have been mobilised - ITBP, SDRF and Administration. There is active rainfall and snowfall there. So, we are unable to deploy heli-services. Movement is difficult,' the Chamoli District Magistrate said.

Inspector General of Police, State Disaster Response Force, Ridhim Agarwal, said that a total of 57 workers of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) were affected in the avalanche near Mana village.

SDRF Inspector General of Police said that a team of the SDRF has left from Joshimat, but due to road blockage in Lambagad, the process of opening the route by contacting the Army is underway. (ANI)