Uttarkashi tunnel collapse: Thai experts to assist in rescue operation
As the rescue operation for 40 trapped workers in a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi entered its fifth day on Thursday, authorities have called in Thai cave experts for assistance. They are said to be from the Thai rescue company that played a crucial role in the 2018 rescue of 12 young footballers and their coach from a flooded cave in Thailand's Tham Luang Nang Non.
Why does this story matter?
A portion of the 4.5km tunnel between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway collapsed on Sunday. In the first two days of the rescue operation, officials employed large excavators, which failed to clear the rubble and encountered technical faults. Following this, a 35-horsepower (hp) auger machine was deployed. However, it proved unsuccessful in clearing the debris, halting the rescue operation. The rescue team is now relying on a 175hp auger machine, which was flown in from Delhi.
2018 Thai cave rescue gives hope to Uttarkashi workers
The 2018 Thai cave rescue operation involved rescuing 12 football players and their coach who were trapped for over two weeks in the Tham Luang cave complex due to heavy rainfall. Nearly 10,000 Thai and international volunteers participated in the perilous and logistically complex mission, which garnered global attention. The successful rescue operation led by the Thai company serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for the ongoing efforts to save the trapped workers in Uttarkashi.
Heavy drilling machine airlifted to replace failed equipment
The heavy-duty drilling machine (175hp) has been flown in from Delhi by three Indian Air Force (IAF) transport planes to replace the malfunctioning equipment previously used in the rescue operation. The plan is to use this machine to drill through the debris and create a passage for the trapped laborers to crawl out to safety. In case the new machine doesn't suffice, the officials would have to turn to conventional drilling, which could take five to six days.
Protests over slow pace of rescue operations
On Wednesday, frustrated by the slow progress of the rescue efforts, workers at the site and families of trapped workers staged protests near the tunnel entrance on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway. Uttarkashi District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela urged them to remain patient and assured them that all workers would be safely evacuated. Earlier, contact was established with trapped workers who were said to be safe. Officials claimed to have supplied food and oxygen to workers through pipes inserted into the debris.
What happened so far
Initially, debris obstructed a 60-meter portion of the tunnel around 270 meters from the tunnel's mouth on the Silkyara side. Officials used the trenchless approach, in which an auger machine attempted to bore through the rubble and push 900mm steel pipes to create a tunnel for the workers to crawl out. However, a landslide damaged the operation on Tuesday night, forcing the equipment and the platform it was mounted on to be disassembled.
