Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Elite international rescue teams join forces with NDRF, SDRF to evacuate 40 workers
Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand): Elite rescue teams from Norway and Thailand and the one that successfully rescued the trapped children from a cave in Thailand in 2018 have joined forces to evacuate the 40 workers trapped in an under-construction tunnel in Silkyara in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district, media reported.
A section of the tunnel, a unit of the ambitious Char Dham all-weather road project, collapsed on Sunday due to a landslide. The collapsed portion, measuring 30 meters, is located 270 meters from the tunnel's entrance on the Silkyara side.
The rescue operations entered the fifth day on Thursday. The approximately 50 metres of debris is posing a big challenge for the rescuers in the fragile mountains where the tunnel is located. The debris needs to be penetrated to insert 800 mm and 900 mm of evacuation tubes.
If this can be achieved, the trapped workers on the other side of the collapsed tunnel can crawl out safely.
#RescueUpdate
— Uttarkashi Police Uttarakhand (@UttarkashiPol) November 15, 2023
टनल में रेस्क्यू कार्य गतिमान है। ऑगर मशीन के लिये प्लेटफॉर्म व ड्रिलिंग का कार्य प्रगति पर है। दिल्ली से और मशीन को भी एयरलिफ्ट किया जा रहा है। pic.twitter.com/kO9miqLeiM
Experts have opined that the rescue operation would need the vision of the most experienced professionals given the multiple challenges thrown by the Himalayan region.
Media reports said the 'American auger' machine, brought in to clear a passage excavate a passage through the debris of the tunnel section, gave a positive turn to the rescue operation. It is expected to quicken the clearing process and evacuation of the workers.
#RescueUpdate
— Uttarkashi Police Uttarakhand (@UttarkashiPol) November 14, 2023
टनल में रेस्क्यू कार्य युद्धस्तर पर जारी है। 900 मिमी व्यास के पाइप व ऑगर ड्रिलिंग मशीन साइट पर पहुंच गई है। ऑगर मशीन के लिए प्लेटफार्म तैयार कर ड्रिलिंग का कार्य तेजी से किया जा रहा है। pic.twitter.com/4217jJfcUY
The specialised equipment has been flown in from New Delhi in disassembled components in three consignments by Hercules aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF), said media reports.
#RescueUpdate
— Uttarkashi Police Uttarakhand (@UttarkashiPol) November 15, 2023
सिलक्यारा टनल में राहत एवं बचाव के लिए हैवी ऑगर ड्रिलिंग मशीन चिन्यालीसौड़ हेलीपैड पहुंच गई हैं, मशीनों को जोड़ा जा रहा है। शीघ्र ही ड्रिलिंग का कार्य शुरू हो जाएगा। सभी श्रमिकों को सुरक्षित रेस्क्यू करने की क़वायद तेजी से चल रही है। pic.twitter.com/1EsojunaIa
"Rescue operation is underway. We have full hope. We are trying our best," he told news agency ANI.
The Union Minister said he interacted with the workers and was optimistic that the workers stuck in the tunnel would be evacuated.
He also said that all resources were being channelled to end the rescue operations in two to three days.
On Thursday, Union Minister General (retired) VK Singh reached the tunnel to assess the progress of the rescue operations. "All options are being explored. The safety of workers is paramount. We are taking opinions from international organisations," he said.
"A new machine is working, whose power and speed are better than the old machine. Our effort is to complete this rescue operation in two to three days. I talked with them (workers), and their morale is high. They know that the government is working to rescue them," he said.
#RescueUpdate
— Uttarkashi Police Uttarakhand (@UttarkashiPol) November 14, 2023
टनल में रेस्क्यू कार्य युद्धस्तर पर चल रहा है। ड्रिलिंग का तेजी से किया जा रहा है।मौके पर रेस्क्यू में जुटे उत्तरकाशी पुलिस अधिकारियों द्वारा टनल में फंसे श्रमिकों की पाइप के माध्यम से उनके परिजनों की बातचीत करवाकर धैर्य बंधाया जा रहा है,सभी श्रमिक सुरक्षित हैं। pic.twitter.com/onlmHYFm8J
Despite over 70 hours of continuous efforts in the rescue operations, on Wednesday a fresh landslide obstructed progress. The rescue teams, who had put hours into constructing a platform for the 'American auger', had to dismantle the machine and restart the platform-building process due to the unforeseen landslide.
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