Excavation to rescue trapped workers in a collapsed tunnel in India face another delays
The effort to rescue 41 construction workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in northern India faced another setback during the purported final phase of digging, officials announced on Thursday.
The platform of the drilling machine became destabilized while penetrating through rock debris, requiring technicians to address the issue before the rescue operation could proceed.
Initial expectations were to commence the workers' extraction on Thursday, but now the earliest possible start is Friday.
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The drilling process was also halted on Wednesday night when the boring machine encountered a metal girder, resulting in damage to its blades. This incident led to a six-hour delay as rescuers worked to cut the metal object and clear the obstruction, according to officials.
Atul Karwal, the head of the state-run National Disaster Response Force, reported that the machine resumed operations on Thursday.
The trapped workers have been stuck since November 12, when a landslide caused a section of the 4.5-kilometer (2.8-mile) tunnel they were constructing to collapse approximately 200 meters (650 feet) from the entrance.
Uttarakhand's Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, visited the site on Thursday and communicated with some of the tunnel workers using walkie-talkies, as relayed by Karwal.
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As of Thursday evening, the drilling had progressed almost 46 meters (151 feet) and required excavation of an additional 12 meters (40 feet) to establish a passageway, according to Kirti Panwar, a spokesperson for the state government at the accident site.
The rescue strategy involves inserting and welding pipes together to serve as the trapped workers' pathway to freedom. About 46 meters of pipes have been installed thus far, Panwar noted.
The National Disaster Response Force members are anticipated to enter and extract the workers individually, most likely on stretchers equipped with wheels.
Drilling operations recommenced on Wednesday as rescuers resumed their horizontal drilling efforts at the tunnel entrance.
The machine had encountered issues the previous week, leading to a temporary halt in digging, prompting consideration of alternative rescue strategies.
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Negotiating the challenging mountainous terrain in Uttarakhand has proven difficult for the drilling machine, resulting in a breakdown as attempts were made to excavate horizontally toward the trapped workers.
Additionally, the machine's high-intensity vibrations contributed to an increased number of debris falling.
