Evacuation Op Begins In Uttarakhand, First Worker Rescued — See Latest Visuals

Uttarkashi Tunnel Rescue: The first worker among the 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand has been successfully rescued.

Uttarkashi: Rescue officials during an operation to extract the 41 workers trapped inside the collapsed Silkyara Tunnel, in Uttarkashi district, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023.

Source : PTI

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday informed that the evacuation operation for the 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel for 16 days reached a breakthrough as the rescue pipe was pushed another two metres. With this the NDRF and SDRF personnel have taken position for the safe evacuation of workers trapped in the Uttarakhand tunnel, news agency PTI reported officials as saying. According to a rescuer, men will go inside the Uttarakhand tunnel and bring trapped workers out on wheeled stretchers one by one.

At least 12 workers among the 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel have been successfully rescued.

Three workers have come out of the tunnel so far, news agency ANI reported.

This comes after rat-hole mining experts were called in to manually complete the last two metres of drilling after removing broken parts of the auger drilling machine. Earlier, NDMA Member Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain stated that 58 metres of drilling has been done, and the rescue pipe needed to be pushed another two metres.

• Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami met the workers rescued from inside the Silkyara tunnel.
  
  
  
  
  Earlier, he posted on X, "There has been a great success in the ongoing rescue operation in the Silkyara Tunnel, the work of pipe pushing has been done across the debris. Now preparations have been started to evacuate the workers safely."
  
  
  
  
  
• Addressing a press conference, NDMA Member Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain informed that the rescue operation was near "a breakthrough but not yet there". "Manual work has carried on and we have reached 58 metres. The debris had been cut and the work was going on the entire night. Our rat miners, experts, and Army engineers have been able to take it to 58 metres and the pipe has been pushed with the help of the auger machine", he said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
  
  Hasnain, while speaking to ANI, suggested that it could take the entire night to complete the evacuation.
  
  
  
  
  
• At the presser, Hasnain praised the rat miners, stating they did a "phenomenal job" by digging 10 meters in less than 24 hours. He said the trapped workers were able to hear the sounds of machines, "We are at 58 metres, we are hoping that after 2 metres, we can say that it has passed through. The trapped workers have told that they are able to hear noises of work being done and an estimate can be made where the tunnel will pass through." 
• Once the breakthrough occurs, it is estimated to take 3-4 hours to bring out all the trapped workers. Each worker will take about 3-5 minutes to be pulled out on a wheeled stretcher through the pipe, he stated. "Three teams of NDRF will go in inside the tunnel to organise the evacuation. SDRF will provide support. Paramedics will also go inside the tunnel at the time of evacuation," the official added.
  
  
• After the rescue, workers will be kept under medical observation for 48-72 hours. Rishikesh AIIMS is on alert, with a 41-bed ward, trauma center, cardiac and psychiatric specialists, and three helicopters prepared. A temporary medical facility inside the tunnel is expanded for the evacuated workers.
  
  
• A temporary medical facility inside the tunnel has been expanded as part of rescue efforts to bring out the 41 trapped workers. For emergency scenarios, eight beds have been arranged by the Uttarakhand Health Department. 
  
  
• Hasnain emphasised that all safety precautions will be implemented. "No premature announcements are to be made; it will be against all principles. We are not in any hurry," he said.
  
  
  
  
• West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted that a team has been sent to Uttarkashi to assist in the evacuation and safe return of the trapped workers to West Bengal.
  
  
  
  
  
• Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav expressed hope for the workers' rescue but called for increased safety measures in Uttarakhand. "As per what reports are coming in, I am hopeful that the workers will be saved. Thanks to the agencies that worked for the rescue of the workers. But a matter of concern is that such news come from Uttarakhand on a regular basis, following which environment activists and NGOs raise questions. I hope after this incident, the government will focus on safety and security measures," he said, as quoted by news agency PTI.
  
  
  
  
  
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in contact with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami, took stock of the ongoing operations and stressed ensuring the safety of the trapped workers and those involved in the rescue.
  
  "Today, he sought information about the relatives of the workers - arrangements for them, accommodation for them, their condition and the condition of people stuck inside....I think two more pipes need to be inserted or maybe there will be a breakthrough even before that. He (PM) was given all the details..." the Chief Minister said, as per ANI.

The tunnel collapse occurred on November 12, with debris falling in the 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side of the tunnel, trapping 41 labourers inside the under-construction structure.

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