Dehradun:
The 41 employees trapped in a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Silkyara are anticipated to be rescued right now – lastly after 11 days. Solely 12 metres of rock and particles separate them and rescue operation is predicted to be over by 11:30 pm, officers mentioned right now. The under-construction tunnel had collapsed on November 12, trapping the labourers working inside. Superior drilling machines had been flown in as rescue officers raced towards time to save lots of the trapped employees.
Listed here are the dwell updates on the Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue Ops:
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#WATCH | Uttarkashi tunnel incident | Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami left for Uttarkashi from Dehradun. At night time, the Chief Minister will take inventory of the continuing aid and rescue work within the Silkyara Tunnel positioned on the Uttarkashi-Yamnotri street: CMO,… pic.twitter.com/Vw2ECXu6G6
– ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2023
Mahmood Ahmed, a senior official with Uttarakhand’s Highway and Transport Division, says the auger (or earth drilling machine) that was switched on at 12.45 am had drilled 18 metres up to now. “I am very happy to share that drilling for 39 metres has been completed. Estimates indicate the workers are trapped 57 metres underground, so only 18 metres is left,” he defined earlier within the day.
Mr Ahmed additionally mentioned essentially the most time-consuming course of – in a rescue try that’s now in its eleventh day – is the welding of pipes to be pushed into the drilled holes to supply employees’ an escape route. “Welding is most important… this takes time. It does not take much time to drill… due to this it has taken almost 15 hours, from late night, to send 18 metres of pipes, i.e., three sections,” he added.
“I am happy to announce we have been able to move forward by another six meters. It is expected that in the next two hours, when we prepare for the next phase, we will be able to (finish) remaining work,” Bhaskar Khulbe, the Particular Officer deputed to the Uttarakhand Tourism Division, advised reporters. Mr Khulbe mentioned about 67 per cent of drilling had been accomplished.