Rescuers recovered the eighth and final body from the site of an avalanche in a remote area of northern India, the army said on Sunday, marking the end of a marathon operation in sub-zero temperatures.
More than 50 workers were submerged under snow and debris after the avalanche hit a construction camp on Friday near Mana village on the border with Tibet in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand.
Authorities had revised down the number of workers on site at the time of the avalanche from 55 to 54 after one worker, previously believed to be buried, was found to have safely made his way home before the avalanche hit.
The army used a drone-based detection system to assist in its search operations.
Multiple drones and a rescue dog were also employed.
Working on a project by the Border Roads Organisation, the workers were living on site in steel containers considered stronger than tents and capable of withstanding harsh weather.
In 2021, nearly 100 people died in Uttarakhand after a huge glacier chunk fell into a river, triggering flash floods.
And devastating monsoon floods and landslides in 2013 killed 6,000 people and led to calls for a review of development projects in the state.
