2023-11-24 16:13:03
UTTARKASHI. Rescue teams resumed drilling on Friday to reach 41 construction workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in India for almost two weeks. A mechanical problem delayed evacuation work the previous day, authorities reported.
The drilling rig’s platform lost stability while moving through stone debris on Thursday, pausing the final phase of work at the accident site in Uttarakhand state for about 20 hours, government spokesperson Kirti Panwar said. .
Panwar did not know how long it will take to complete the drilling and evacuate workers. They have been trapped since Nov. 12, when a landslide caused a 4.5-kilometer (2.8-mile) section of the tunnel to collapse about 200 meters (650 feet) from the entrance.
A key passage
By the 13th day of work, rescuers had advanced 46 meters (151 feet) and needed to dig another 12 meters (40 feet) to open an exit passage, Panwar said.
Before resuming work, rescuers manually removed pieces of metal amid the rubble to prevent further damage, he added.
Rescuers are inserting tubes into the perforated channel and welding them together to serve as a passageway. So far they have installed approximately 46 meters (151 feet) of pipes, Panwar said. The plan is to remove the workers one by one on wheeled stretchers.
The area’s mountainous terrain has created additional difficulties for the drill, which broke down last weekend as rescue teams moved toward trapped workers. Additionally, the machine’s intense vibrations caused more debris to fall.
Work was stopped again on Wednesday when the machine collided with a metal beam, damaging its blades.
Authorities have delivered hot dishes of rice and lentils to those trapped through a 15-centimeter (six-inch) pipe. Oxygen is sent to them through another pipe.
Most of the trapped workers are migrants from different parts of the country. Many of their relatives traveled to the site of the accident, where they are camping to receive news of the rescue and in the hope of seeing their loved ones again soon.
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