Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue News LIVE: Advanced drilling machines were flown in for the rescue op. (File)
The 41 workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand's Silkyara are expected to be rescued by 8 am today, a rescue official told reporters. Only 12 metres of rock and debris separate them, officials said earlier on Wednesday. The under-construction tunnel had collapsed on November 12, trapping the labourers working inside. Advanced drilling machines were flown in as rescue officials raced against time to save the trapped workers.
Here are the live updates on the Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue Ops:
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Uttarkashi Tunnel Rescue: Drilling Machine Facing Difficulties AgainInternational expert Arnold Dix on Thursday evening said the auger machine drilling through the rubble of the collapsed Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand is experiencing "some difficulties" again, according to news agency PTI.
The remark came just hours after drilling to evacuate 41 trapped workers resumed, following a six-hour setback Wednesday night as the American machine encountered an iron girdle.
It was cut by experts, working in a confined environment, before drilling resumed Thursday.
Earlier, drilling was put on hold from Friday afternoon to Tuesday night when the machine encountered a hurdle.
"Right now the auger machine is experiencing some difficulties, for the third time," Arnold Dix to PTI. "We have seen this happen before," he reminded.
Workers May Be Rescued In Few Hours Or By Tomorrow: NDMAAccording to news agency PTI, workers trapped in Uttarakhand's Silkyara tunnel for the last 11 days are likely to be rescued in the next few hours or by tomorrow, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) member Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain said on Thursday evening.
The drilling work to pull out 41 trapped workers encountered obstacles, which resulted in a temporary stoppage of rescue efforts.
"I expect that in the next few hours or by tomorrow, we will be successful in this operation," Hasnain said in a media briefing.
Trapped Workers Will Be Rolled Out On Stretchers From Uttarakhand TunnelThe forty-one workers who are trapped under a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand will be pulled out on wheeled stretchers one by one through a big pipe that is still being drilled to reach them, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Director General Atul Karwal told news agency PTI today.
The rescuers had also considered the option of making the workers crawl out one by one. Their health condition, however, may prevent them from crawling out on their own, following 12 days of living under the debris of the tunnel without any natural light and full meals, though they have been given supplies via small "lifeline" pipes.
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Union Minister General VK Singh has arrived at the site of the collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand to take stock of the situation.
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Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue: 15-Men NDRF Team To Bring Out 41 Trapped Workers
A 15-man strong NDRF team led by a commandant has been tasked to take out one by one the 41 labourers stuck for the last 10 days in the collapsed Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarkashi. The NDRF jawans have conducted a mock drill on how they will go through the pipe to the other side of the rubble where the labourers are stuck, NDRF second-in-command Ravi Shankar Badhani told PTI.
Jharkhand To Airlift Its Workers After They're Evacuated From Tunnel: Report
The Jharkhand government has planned to airlift workers belonging to the state who were among the 41 people trapped in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand after their rescue. There are around 15 workers from Jharkhand trapped in the tunnel. An official from the Jharkhand labour department present at the rescue spot told PTI the state government has planned to airlift the workers belonging to their state. Another official said the rescued workers will be taken to a hospital at Chilyanisaur in Uttarkashi where a separate ward with 41 oxygen-supported beds has been prepared.
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Uttarkashi Tunnel Collapse LIVE: All Tunnels Across India To Be Checked For SafetyThe National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will undertake a safety audit of all 29 under-construction tunnels across the country to ensure safety and adherence to highest quality standards, an official statement said on Wednesday. "NHAI officials, along with a team of experts from Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) as well as other tunnel experts, will inspect the ongoing tunnel projects and will submit a report within seven days," the statement said.
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"Estimates Indicate Workers Are Trapped 57 Metres Underground": Official
Mahmood Ahmed, a senior official with Uttarakhand's Road and Transport Department, says the auger (or earth drilling machine) that was switched on at 12.45 am had drilled 18 metres so far. "I am very happy to share that drilling for 39 metres has been completed. Estimates indicate the workers are trapped 57 metres underground, so only 18 metres is left," he explained earlier in the day.
Mr Ahmed also said the most time-consuming process - in a rescue attempt that is now in its 11th day - is the welding of pipes to be pushed into the drilled holes to provide workers' an escape route. "Welding is most important... this takes time. It does not take much time to drill... due to this it has taken almost 15 hours, from late night, to send 18 metres of pipes, i.e., three sections," he added.
Tunnel Rescue: "Remaining Work Expected To Be Finished In 2 Hours," Says Official"I am happy to announce we have been able to move forward by another six meters. It is expected that in the next two hours, when we prepare for the next phase, we will be able to (finish) remaining work," Bhaskar Khulbe, the Special Officer deputed to the Uttarakhand Tourism Department, told reporters. Mr Khulbe said about 67 per cent of drilling had been completed.