In Silkyara, India, the rescue efforts for 41 trapped workers in a highway tunnel in the Indian Himalayas are facing further delays. The rescuers are considering manually drilling through the last 10 meters of debris, as the heavy drill machine used to break through the nearly 60 meters was damaged and needs to be pulled out entirely.
These workers, who are construction workers from some of India’s poorest states, have been stuck in the 4.5-km tunnel being built in Uttarakhand state since it caved in early on Nov. 12. They have access to light, oxygen, food, water and medicines, and the authorities have confirmed that they are safe.
An official involved in the rescue mission stated that since the damaged machine cannot be used, they are planning to cut through the remaining debris manually. The machine broke at a joint as it was being pulled out of the pipe, hitting an obstacle on Friday.
Sunita Hembrom, who spoke to her trapped brother-in-law, mentioned that everyone inside is very worried. And her brother-in-law shared that he hasn’t eaten any food since yesterday, causing concern for his well-being.
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the tunnel collapse, but the region is known for being prone to landslides, earthquakes and floods. The tunnel also did not have an emergency exit and was built through a geological fault.
The rescue plan includes pushing a pipe wide enough to pull the trapped men out on wheeled stretchers. A video clip provided by the authorities showed rescue workers rehearsing the evacuation by going into the pipe and being pulled out on stretchers.
The men have been receiving cooked food as well as medical attention, with a team of doctors, including psychiatrists, monitoring their health. They have been advised to do light yoga exercises, walk around in the 2-km space they have been confined to, and keep speaking to each other.
Another plan being pursued involves drilling vertically from atop the hill, and the drilling machines are being assembled. The collapsed tunnel is on the Char Dham pilgrimage route, a project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government aimed at linking four key Hindu pilgrimage sites.
(Reporting by Saurabh Sharma in Silkyara; Writing by Krishn Kauhsik; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
