An avalanche in India’s Uttarakhand state buried 54 construction workers in metal containers, killing eight and trapping others for nearly two days.

Rescuers saved 46 workers, who survived due to sufficient oxygen in the containers.

The 60-hour rescue operation, conducted in freezing temperatures, involved the Indian army and disaster response teams using helicopters and drones.

Many of the rescued workers are receiving treatment, the BBC has reported.

Avalanches are common in the Himalayas, with experts warning that climate change and deforestation are worsening extreme weather events in the region.

Written by B.C. Begley