At least 41 feared trapped after Himalayas avalanche

At least 41 people are still trapped after an avalanche in the Indian Himalayan mountain state of Uttarakhand, authorities said on Friday, following recent heavy snowfall in the region.

The avalanche occurred near a highway in the state's Chamoli region, adjoining Tibet, and less than 5 km (3 miles) from the popular Hindu temple of Badrinath, which is visited by hundreds of thousands of devotees every year.

Local media had earlier reported that people were trapped after a "glacier burst",before authorities confirmed it was an avalanche.

Those trapped under the snow were construction workers for the federal Border Roads Organisation (BRO), according to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, and 16 people have so far been rescued.

"...all efforts are being made...our effort is to bring everyone out safely as soon as possible," Dhami told reporters.

Rescue workers were finding it difficult to reach the location of those trapped due to heavy snowfall, Indian news agency ANI reported, quoting another senior official.

Uttarakhand, which is located in the high-altitude Himalaya range, is increasingly prone to flash floods and landslides due to rising global temperatures, and environmentalists have urged a review of power projects and other development work there.