Thanks to some quick thinking, 46 construction workers were able to survive an avalanche and its path of destruction for multiple days. They found shelter in metal containers in the Himalayan Mountains. 

Over the weekend, a construction site in India’s Mana village was overtaken by the snow landslide that ultimately took the lives of eight of the 54 workers. The numbers could have been much higher, however, if not for some keen resourcefulness.

To survive the avalanche, workers barricaded themselves inside the containers, which had just enough oxygen to keep them alive before being rescued more than two days later. The miraculous recovery that took place in sub-zero temperatures saw Indian army members team up with local disaster forces. The entire operation lasted almost 60 hours.

Metal Containers Saved The Lives of 46 Construction Workers in an Avalanche

Before the situation, there were alerts put out that suggested rain and snow could be an issue in the area. Drones, dogs, and thermal imaging cameras were all tools utilized to aid in the rescue. The efforts were slowed down due to the poor conditions that included heavy snowfall, according to The Associated Press.

This wasn’t new territory for the rescue teams, though, as global warming and changing weather patterns have made this part of the Himalayas prone to avalanches. Some of the containers were sent swiftly down the mountain but provided enough support to withstand the crashing tumble.

One survivor told The Times of India that the container he was in broke apart after coming to a halt, but it sent them down the hillside not far from an army guest house, which they were able to use to survive the night. Perhaps the most terrifying aspect of this ordeal is that they were all sleeping when the avalanche struck. 

The survivors are now recovering in a local hospital with many of those rescued having suffered serious injuries from the cold and being tossed around the metal containers.