Uttarakhand tunnel collapse has rescuers racing against time to save 40 trapped workers

In a tragic incident in Uttarakhand, 40 workers found themselves trapped inside a tunnel on Sunday (November 12) morning following a landslide near the Silkyara tunnel.

The collapse occurred 270 meters below the surface, leaving the workers stranded in the 2,340-meter-deep tunnel.

What

• The landslide near the Silkyara tunnel caused a section, about 200m from the opening, to cave in at 5 am.

• Engaged in a government highway project, the workers were inside the tunnel when the collapse occurred.

• Ongoing rescue operations in Uttarkashi involve using machinery to insert large pipes through the rubble at the collapsed tunnel site.

• The 40 trapped workers, stuck for two days, are safe and receiving provisions such as food, water, and oxygen.

Rescue efforts

Rescue teams are utilizing a pipeline originally laid for construction purposes to supply the trapped workers with the necessary essentials. 

• Rescue teams are employing a pipeline originally intended for construction purposes to supply essential resources to the trapped workers.

• The operation involves utilizing JCBs and a Poclain machine to clear debris from the 13-meter-wide tunnel.

• Approximately 60 meters away from the trapped workers, efforts are concentrated on creating an escape passage.

• Progress in clearing the rocks covering a 200-meter area has been slow despite continuous efforts since the collapse on Sunday.

The plan to rescue workers

• The objective is to construct a 40-meter escape passage, with 21 meters of the blocking slab already removed and 19 meters yet to be cleared.
• Rescue teams intend to use 900 mm diameter pipes, wide enough for workers to pass through, by drilling a hole into the debris and pushing the pipes using an auger machine on a prepared platform.

• Food and oxygen are being supplied through water pipelines, providing a 400-meter buffer for movement and breathing.
• Communication with the trapped workers is facilitated using walkie-talkies.

Cause of collapse

Senior police official Arpan Yaduvanshi explained that the landslide in the mountainous state of Uttarakhand led to the tunnel collapse.

The affected tunnel is a crucial part of the federal government's initiative to improve connectivity to pilgrimage spots in the region, renowned for its Hindu sacred sites.

The tunnel incident occurred 270 meters below the surface, with the tunnel itself being 2,340 meters deep.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the rescue site to inspect operations on Monday.

The 4.5-km tunnel on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway connects Silkyara and Dandalgaon in Uttarkashi.

The Uttarakhand government has formed a six-member expert committee to investigate the accident.