Chamoli, India – Search teams in northern India have rescued 47 people after an avalanche struck a remote border area in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, but efforts continue to locate eight more trapped workers, officials said on Saturday.

The avalanche hit a construction camp near Mana village, close to the Tibet border, on Friday, burying 55 workers under snow and debris. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed that rescue operations had been intensified following an improvement in weather conditions.

"Every effort is being made to safely evacuate all the workers trapped in the snow as soon as possible," Dhami stated on X (formerly Twitter).

Local police reported that army doctors at the site had performed life-saving surgeries on critically injured survivors. Meanwhile, Mana village was left deserted as residents relocated to lower altitudes due to extreme weather conditions.

Avalanches and landslides frequently occur in the Himalayas, particularly during winter. Scientists warn that climate change, fueled by human activities such as fossil fuel consumption, is exacerbating extreme weather patterns. Additionally, rapid development and deforestation in the fragile Himalayan region have raised concerns about environmental risks.

Uttarakhand has witnessed several natural disasters in recent years. In 2021, nearly 100 people lost their lives when a glacier collapse triggered flash floods, while catastrophic monsoon floods and landslides in 2013 claimed 6,000 lives, leading to calls for stricter regulations on construction in the region.

Rescue operations in Chamoli remain ongoing as authorities race against time to locate the missing workers.