Ragnarök Question Series: If a global catastrophe occurs, will it be due to either human-made climate change or geoengineering?
MetaculusDEC 10 2024
India: Avalanche Traps 57 Workers in Chamoli
Above: Rescuers carry BRO workers after an avalanche near Mana village in Chamoli district on Feb. 28, 2025. Image copyright: State Disaster Response Force (SDRF)/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
At least 42 of 57 workers trapped in eight containers and one shed were rescued after an avalanche struck a Border Roads Organization (BRO) camp near Mana village in India's Uttarakhand state on Friday.
The incident occurred between Mana village and Badrinath in Chamoli district, adjoining Tibet, where workers were engaged in a highway widening and blacktopping project along a 50-kilometer (31-mile) stretch for two years.
A team of 65 rescue personnel, including 30 Army staff, battled through poor visibility and six-foot-deep snow to reach the affected area.
The Spin
Narrative A
Climate change has significantly increased avalanche frequency in the Himalayas. Warmer temperatures destabilize snowpack structures and alter precipitation patterns, making the region more vulnerable to such disasters than ever.
Narrative B
The incident highlights the critical importance of infrastructure development in border areas, where, despite challenging conditions, construction work must continue to maintain strategic readiness and support local communities.
Narrative C
The government converted a natural phenomenon into a tragic incident by ignoring the meteorological department's advisory on the possibility of avalanches, failing to take precautionary measures, and continuing construction activities in rough terrain.
Metaculus Prediction
The Controversies
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