The authorities in Uttarakhand have established communication with workers who are trapped after a portion of an under-construction tunnel collapsed, officials told ANI on Monday.
The tunnel, located on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri national highway, collapsed in the early hours of Sunday, leaving 40 workers trapped inside. The tunnel is part of the Char Dham Road Project to build all-weather roads in Uttarakhand.
Uttarkashi Circle Officer Prashant Kumar said that all the workers are safe and being supplied with oxygen through a pipe, according to NDTV. The authorities have also sent food and water to them, he added.
The National Disaster Response Force, the State Disaster Response Force, the police and the fire brigade are conducting rescue operations.
The Uttarkashi circle officer said that the debris at the spot is about 60 metres deep. “As we are clearing the debris, it is falling from above,” he said. “We have moved around 15 metres inside the tunnel, and 35 metres are still to be covered.”
#WATCH | Uttarakhand | On Uttarkashi Tunnel accident, Prashant Kumar, Circle Officer of Uttarkashi says, “40 people are trapped inside the tunnel. All are safe, we have provided oxygen and water to them…”
“The present situation is, that yesterday we established communication… pic.twitter.com/KWBVtN0ks8
— ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2023
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