Oxygen is being supplied through the debris to the 40 labourers who are trapped after a portion of an under-construction tunnel on the National Highway (NH) in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi collapsed in the early hours of Sunday.
“About 40 to 41 workers are trapped inside. Oxygen is being supplied through the debris, but more rubble is coming down as rescuers try to remove the obstruction,” Durgesh Rathodi, a state disaster response official, told AFP from the site. Follow LIVE updates here.
Rathodi added that a message was sent to the trapped workers through a tube that is pumping oxygen into the blocked portion of the tunnel, assuring them that all efforts are being made for their safety.
“No response to the message has come from inside yet,” he told AFP adding that more rubble was coming down from above as machines constantly removed the debris.
The incident took place around 4 am when a 150-metre-long portion of the four-and-a-half-kilometer-long tunnel collapsed.
Teams of the State Disaster Response Force, fire brigade and employees of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) were roped in for rescue operations.
“We received information around 9.15 am that a part of the tunnel on the national highway from Silkyara to Dandalgaon in Uttarkashi collapsed. We dispatched our teams from the local outposts. Our rescue operation is on a war footing,” Lalita Negi, SDRF media in charge, said.
Border Roads Organisation and ITBP teams led by Commanding Officer Naman Narula and Assistant Commandant Jadhav Vaibhav were also roped in later to assist in rescue efforts, according to PTI.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that he has instructed the district magistrate to speed up the rescue operations.
He also said that he spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi who sought detailed information regarding the incident and rescue efforts.
“The Prime Minister was given detailed information about the rescue operations conducted to get the workers out safely. Honourable Prime Minister has assured all possible help to deal with this accident. Central agencies have been directed by the Government of India to cooperate in relief and rescue operations,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
