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In an attempt to free 40 workers who were trapped in the collapsed tunnel, India has requested aid from the Thai cave rescue team, who gained prominence in 2018 for their successful expedition in Thailand. The rescue operations are on their fifth day in Uttarakhand‘s Uttarkashi. According to the most recent information, massive drilling machinery has been flown in and erected on the scene; officials anticipate that this new addition would greatly expedite the ongoing rescue operations.
Attempt to rescue the Uttarakhand victims
Professional rescuers from Thailand and Norway have joined forces in a strategic alliance to support and strengthen the current rescue effort. One of these elite groups is the one that made headlines in 2018 after winning Thailand’s difficult cave rescue operation. The cooperation serves as proof of the global solidarity and knowledge being combined to handle the complexity of the current situation.
The “American auger” machine, which was brought from New Delhi to the location inside the tunnel, was a crucial advancement in the rescue attempt. It is anticipated that this specialised equipment would be essential in accelerating the clearance procedure and moving trapped workers toward a secure departure. Authorities were optimistic about the efficiency of a cutting-edge drilling machine they had brought from New Delhi to speed up rescue operations at the location in Uttarakhand.
When the ‘American auger’ machine arrived at the Chinyalisaur airport—which is situated over 30 kilometres away from the collapsed tunnel on the Char Dham pilgrimage route—it was in pieces. Part of the planned strategy calls for using the machine to dig a way through the rubble of the tunnel’s collapsed section.
What happened in Uttarakhand on Sunday?
Early on Sunday morning, a portion of the tunnel that was being built to connect Silkyara and Dandalgaon in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, to the Brahmakal-Yamunotri highway collapsed. At least 40 workers have reportedly been trapped as a result of the accident. Since the tunnel collapsed while the national highway was still under construction, there were worries and quick action was taken to save and recover people who were impacted.
A major accident occurred at around 5:30 am when about a 200-metre part of the 4.5-kilometer-long tunnel on the Brahmakal-Yamunotri route collapsed. According to news agency PTI, Uttarkashi Superintendent of Police Arpan Yaduvanshi personally arrived at the scene to begin a relief and rescue operation as soon as he received news of the tragedy.
A number of response units have also mobilised to the scene, stepping up joint efforts to manage the situation and carry out successful rescue operations. These units include the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the fire department, and the staff of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), the organisation in charge of supervising the tunnel’s construction.
Who is trapped inside the tunnel?
As the rescue efforts progress, officials guarantee that the workers within the tunnel are secure. They are communicating with one another using walkie-talkies and getting food and oxygen through a temporary conduit meant to provide water. That being said, the fact that more than four days have passed since the men became trapped heightens the seriousness of the situation.
The variety in demographics among those trapped in the tunnel complicates rescue operations. According to the District Emergency Operation Centre, the workers are from a number of states, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh.
The multi-state representation highlights the need for a coordinated and cooperative strategy to handle the particular difficulties brought about by the makeup of the trapped workforce. Even while supplies are still being provided, the primary emphasis is still on accelerating the rescue effort to guarantee these people’s safe extraction from the collapsed tunnel.
How will the plan work?
In order to establish a pipe that will enable the stranded people to crawl to safety, the strategic plan calls for using the drilling machine to make a route. The drilling operation has successfully penetrated about 3 metres (10 feet) of debris as of Thursday morning, updated by Reuters.
Officials went on to say that the rescue team’s difficult mission is to navigate the debris over a distance of about 60 metres in total. The significance of the sophisticated technology brought in for this reason is highlighted by the fact that the drilling process’ accuracy and efficiency are essential to provide a safe path for the trapped workers. To increase the likelihood of a successful rescue and the secure evacuation of those remaining trapped inside a collapsed tunnel, the operation is carefully organised.
Once the route has been successfully cleared, sections of mild steel pipes with diameters of 800 and 900 mm will be put in one at a time. By carefully constructing a safe passageway, those trapped workmen on the opposite side of the debris should be able to make their way to safety. An important turning point in the overall rescue strategy is represented by the joint efforts of multinational rescue teams and the deployment of specialised apparatus.
Responses by the official about the accident
From the scene, Durgesh Rathodi, a representative of the state disaster response team, told the news agency AFP that some 200 metres (218 yards) of the tunnel had collapsed. “There are currently 40 to 41 workers trapped inside,” he said. “Although oxygen is getting through the debris, the rescue efforts are being hampered by more debris falling while they try to remove the obstacle.”
Photos released by government rescue teams showed large piles of concrete blocking the wide tunnel and twisted metal bars sticking out from its collapsed roof among the rubble. On the social media site X, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “Pray to God for the safe rescue of those workers trapped inside the tunnel.”
It is noteworthy that mishaps on sizable development sites for infrastructure are regrettably frequent in India.
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