NEW DELHI: The Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway near Karnaprayag has been closed due to falling debris from mountains following persistent rainfall on Saturday, officials said. The highway remains blocked at several points, particularly around Animath and Pagal Nala in the Jyotirmath Kotwali area, as efforts are made to clear the way and restore traffic.

The highway was initially closed on Friday morning following a major avalanche in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. Several

Border Roads Organisation

(BRO) workers were trapped under heavy snow after the avalanche hit their camp near Mana village in Badrinath.
State Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman provided an update, stating, "33 workers have been rescued. Two of the 57 workers had gone on leave, so there were only 55 workers there." Rescue teams continue working to locate and evacuate the remaining 22 workers.

To assist those affected, the Uttarakhand government has issued emergency helpline numbers: Mobile: 8218867005, 9058441404; Telephone: 0135 2664315; Toll-Free: 1070.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured support from the central government, saying, "Spoke to chief minister Shri Pushkar Dhami ji, DG ITBP, and DG NDRF regarding the glacier burst in Chamoli, Uttarakhand. Our priority is to safely evacuate the people trapped in the accident."