The rescue operation underway to get out 40 construction workers stuck in a collapsed tunnel in India for almost a week has been put on hold.
A cracking sound created panic and it is now unclear when drilling can resume, Indian media reports.
It was last Sunday that a road tunnel in the state of Uttarakhand in northern India collapsed after a landslide. The tunnel was closed with a 50 meter thick layer of stone and concrete rubble. Underneath all the rubble are 40 construction workers – stuck in a space 200 meters into the tunnel.
During the week, several rescue efforts have been carried out and it is stated that around 20 meters of rubble have been cleared away. A further 30 meters must be removed to reach the workers – but so far all attempts have failed.
Panic broke out
The hope was to be able to drill a bigger hole where the workers could get out. But drilling had to be put on hold after a cracking sound was heard when trying to drill forward. Panic is said to have erupted among the rescue workers when they heard a cracking sound.
The fear was that the tunnel would collapse further, reports Times of India.
The rescue operation has been beset by problems. Drills have broken and the military has flown in 22 tons of equipment. India’s special emergency forces are communicating with the trapped workers via radio and a 6-inch-wide tube that is also used to send in oxygen and supplies. The construction workers are said to be alive but weak.
“Our top priority”
– It is our highest priority to reach those who have been stuck here for several days. We do not lack resources, options and ideas. We just need some concerted action and we’re trying to team up and get there somehow. We are also exploring the possibility of vertical drilling, says Bhaskar Khulbe, former advisor to the Prime Minister of India.
Rescue efforts have now been put on hold and it is unclear when they will resume. Meanwhile, a temple has been built at the main entrance to the tunnel where people can pray for the trapped workers.