Contacted 40 trapped workers

Tunnel entrance area where workers were trapped

AFP news agency reported that rescue forces on November 13 contacted 40 workers trapped for 24 hours after a tunnel under construction collapsed in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand.

"All 40 workers trapped in the tunnel are safe. We have sent water and food to them," said Karamveer Singh Bhandari, senior commander of India's National Disaster Response Force.

The tunnel collapsed early on the morning of November 12 (local time) and rescue teams used heavy excavators to clear the debris in an effort to reach the 40 victims. Oxygen was pumped into the tunnel area and food was brought in through a water pipe.

Rescuers initially communicated with workers inside using a piece of paper, before being able to contact them by walkie-talkie.

“Some small food packets were passed through the oxygen supply line,” said rescue official Durgesh Rathodi. He said excavators had cleared about 20 metres of rubble, but were still more than 40 metres away from the workers.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the site and said work was underway to remove tonnes of collapsed concrete debris to bring them out safely.

Disaster response official Devendra Patwal said the trapped workers still had space in the tunnel area of about 400 meters. The 4.5-km tunnel is being built between Silkyara and Dandalgaon and links two of the most sacred Hindu temples, Uttarkashi and Yamunotri.

The tunnel is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Char Dham Road Project, which aims to improve connectivity to some of the country's most famous Hindu shrines, as well as areas bordering China.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/vu-sap-duong-ham-o-an-do-lien-lac-duoc-voi-40-cong-nhan-bi-mac-ket-185231113145021064.htm