Uttarakhand tunnel collapse latest news: Rescue hopes resurrected after American Auger Machine starts operation | India News – News9live
The Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, where 40 workers have been trapped for over 100 hours, faces a critical rescue operation. A new American auger drilling machine, airlifted by the Indian Air Force, has been deployed to expedite the process. The machine successfully inserted a six-meter-long steel pipe into the debris, and efforts are underway to weld another pipe to extend its reach. The rescue operation’s duration remains uncertain, contingent on the debris condition and potential obstacles like buried machines.
According to Col Deepak Patil, overseeing the rescue, the machine has penetrated the debris, but the speed varies due to underlying obstacles. Anshu Manish Khalkho, director of NHIDCL, mentioned the complexity of the mission, replacing a regular auger machine with an advanced one. The process involved six hours for the first pipe, but expectations are for quicker progress with subsequent pipes.
Union Minister V K Singh, assessing the situation, suggested a potential completion time of 2-3 days, acknowledging uncertainties based on debris spread and obstacles. Rescue teams are strategizing an evacuation through the steel pipes, with the National Disaster Response Force conducting mock drills for a possible evacuation.
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