- By Andrew Clarance & Samira Hussain
- BBC News, Delhi
Rescuers are engaged on a number of plans to achieve the employees
Drilling has resumed close to the mouth of a tunnel in India’s Uttarakhand state the place 41 staff have been trapped for 11 days.
Work had been suspended on Friday after rescuers heard a cracking sound whereas drilling.
Officials say different plans to rescue the lads, together with drilling down from the mountain prime, are additionally on observe.
The staff have been building the tunnel when part of it caved it on 12 November resulting from a landslide.
Authorities managed to determine contact with the trapped males hours later and have been supplying them with oxygen, dry snacks and water by way of a pipeline that was laid for supplying water to the tunnel for building work.
Officials have been giving common updates and have indicated they’re making good progress.
But household and mates of the employees have been more and more anxious – and indignant, questioning why it’s taking so lengthy to get the lads out.
On Monday, anxious relations who had crowded across the tunnel skilled some reduction when an endoscopic digital camera – slipped inside by way of a brand new pipe – captured footage of the employees. Officials requested them to establish themselves in entrance of the digital camera and guaranteed them that they’d be rescued quickly.
Watch the primary video of trapped tunnel staff in India’s Uttarakhand
The new pipe is wider and authorities say they’ll now provide extra oxygen, meals and different necessities equivalent to medicines, cell phones and chargers.
It was additionally used on Tuesday to offer the employees their first scorching meal in 10 days, with rescuers packing khichdi (a rice and lentil dish) in bottles and sending them inside.
Rescuers resumed drilling close to the mouth of the tunnel at 02:00 native time (20:30 GMT) on Wednesday, officers informed the BBC. They have drilled 39m (128ft) by way of the particles thus far.
Until now, they’ve managed to insert 4 pipes, every 900mm large, by way of the particles – officers say they’re now pushing by way of 800mm large pipes into them and additional on by way of the particles wall utilizing a telescopic tunnelling technique.
The plan is to ship a number of pipes of differing widths by way of the estimated 60m (197ft) particles wall to create a micro-tunnel by way of which the employees can crawl out of the tunnel.
But the operation has encountered a number of delays and obstacles resulting from free soil, exhausting rock and falling particles, slowing the rescue.
On Wednesday, officers mentioned at a press briefing that rescuers additionally encountered iron rods within the particles throughout probably the most recent spherical of drilling, however that it “fortunately” didn’t have an effect on the work.
There was a whole lot of exercise coming from the mouth of the tunnel, a relentless whirring of machines as emergency staff dug by way of the particles.
Other plans are additionally progressing – makes an attempt are beneath strategy to attain the lads by way of the opposite finish of the tunnel.
A prime official mentioned on Wednesday that they’d additionally constructed a observe and transported tools to begin vertical drilling, by way of the highest of the mountain.
While there is no such thing as a readability but about how lengthy the operation might take, officers say they’re assured about rescuing the lads.
“We are attempting all our choices and we are going to succeed,” Col Deepak Patil, who’s main the rescue operation, informed the BBC earlier this week.
At the press briefing on Wednesday, an official mentioned they hoped to share some “excellent news” by tonight or tomorrow. He additionally added that docs are on the scene and talking to the trapped staff.
The Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi district is a part of the federal authorities’s formidable freeway undertaking to enhance connectivity to well-known pilgrimage spots in Uttarakhand. The mountainous state, the place a number of Himalayan peaks and glaciers are situated, is home to among the holiest websites for Hindus.
The surrounding space is a mountainous area and fairly rugged. There are giant rocks and boulders to take care of even simply walking the perimeter.
The temperatures have dropped, many are sporting hats and heavy coats, whereas others warming themselves by a fireplace.
The area is ecologically fragile and vulnerable to earthquakes and landslides.
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