Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Auger drill stuck in rubble, No quick rescue of trapped workers in sight
International tunnel expert Arnold Dicks has predicted that it might be Christmas by the time the trapped workers were rescued from the tunnel.
Uttarakhand: The rescue operation of 41 workers trapped in the rubble of the collapsed Silkyara tunnel has halted again in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district. The drilling has been stopped as the Auger drill machine blades are stuck in rock debris. The rescue team is now planning to do manual drilling to bring out the trapped workers.
According to reports, the rescue team stopped the drilling on Friday again after their boring machine hit a new metal obstruction in rock debris. As per sources, around 46 meters (151 feet) has been drilled, and about 12 meters (40 feet) more are needed to be cleared to reach the trapped workers.
The rescue team is taking out the blades of the Auger drill machine with the plasma cutter brought from Hyderabad. The manual drilling will soon begin after all the blades of the Auger machine have been cleared.
Meanwhile, international tunnel expert Arnold Dicks has predicted that it might be Christmas by the time the trapped workers were rescued from the tunnel.
The trapped workers were being supplied with hot meals made of rice and lentils through a 6-inch (15-centimeter) pipe along with oxygen through a separate pipe.
On November 12, an under-construction tunnel collapsed in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi trapping 41 workers. Most of the trapped workers are migrant laborers from across the country.
Many worried family members of the trapped workers have reached the accident site. They are camping out for days to get updates on the rescue effort and in hopes of seeing their relatives soon.
It has been 14th day since the relief and rescue work has started. The rescue is being carried out by scientists, international experts, NDRF, SDRF, BRO on a war footing.
Ms Kalinga