Rescue efforts to free 41 workers trapped in a tunnel in Uttarakhand, India, are nearing a breakthrough, according to officials. The operation was temporarily halted on Friday due to safety concerns after a cracking sound was heard during drilling. An official optimistically estimated that the workers might be rescued by early morning local time.
The incident occurred on November 12 when a part of the tunnel, which was under construction, collapsed due to a landslide. Fortunately, authorities were able to establish contact with the trapped workers shortly after the incident, providing them with oxygen, dry snacks, and water through a pipeline originally intended for construction purposes.
Regular updates from officials have indicated significant progress, but the delay in rescue has heightened the anxiety and frustration of the workers’ families and friends. Relief came when an endoscopic camera, inserted through a new pipe, showed footage of the workers, who were asked to identify themselves and reassured of their impending rescue. This new, wider pipe has enabled the delivery of more oxygen and essentials, including food, medicines, mobile phones, and chargers.
Rescue teams resumed drilling near the tunnel entrance on Wednesday and have made considerable progress through the debris. They are employing a telescopic tunneling method to create a micro-tunnel for the workers’ escape, inserting pipes of varying widths through the debris wall. Despite encountering challenges like loose soil, hard rock, falling debris, and iron rods, the rescue operation continues.
Officials remain hopeful and are exploring all possible options, including vertical drilling from the top of the mountain and reaching the men through the other end of the tunnel. The rescue operation’s leader, Col Deepak Patil, expressed confidence in their success.
The Silkyara tunnel, part of a government highway project to enhance connectivity to pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand, is located in a rugged, ecologically sensitive region prone to earthquakes and landslides. The cold weather has added to the challenges, with rescuers and onlookers braving low temperatures, wearing heavy coats, and gathering around fires for warmth.
