This Tuesday, 41 workers were pulled free after they spent 17 days trapped in a collapsed mountain tunnel in northern India. Image: Josekuttypanackal, via Wikimedia Commons
This Tuesday, 41 workers were pulled free after they spent 17 days trapped in a collapsed mountain tunnel in northern India.
On November 12, the workers were building the Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarakhand state when a landslide caused a section of the tunnel to collapse, trapping workers approximately 200 metres from the entrance.
The rescue was initially expected to be straightforward, however, a number of setbacks extended the effort to over two weeks, including the break down of drilling machinery which forced rescuers to return to manual and handheld equipment, slowing down their efforts.
Thankfully, the trapped workers were supplied food, water, and oxygen transported through pipes since early in the process, giving rescuers time to extract them safely and without causing further damage to the structure.
Families of the workers, who were mostly migrant labourers from throughout India, travelled to the site and anxiously awaited the rescue of their loved ones.
The joy and relief could be felt across the country when all 41 trapped workers were safely evacuated from the tunnel.
Those who had camped nearby shouted “Bharat Mata ki Jai” — Hindi for “Long live mother India” and officials hung floral garlands around the necks of the recued workers.
Arnold Dix, an Australian engineering expert and President of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association, said he responded to the request for help as soon as he received the call.
“When I got the call to come from the government, it wasn’t like, oh, let’s discuss anything,” said Dix.
“It was like, okay, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
He stressed the complexity of the rescue operation and explained that his priority was the safety of the trapped individuals.
“The thing is with this game that we’re playing, if we make a wrong move, everyone dies,” Dix said.
“Not only does everyone die who is in there, but probably us as well.”
“Somehow or other we managed to rescue all these people and it’s just phenomenal.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the courage and patience of both the trapped workers and their rescuers.
“Everyone involved in the mission has created an amazing example of humanity and teamwork,” said Modi.
The Silkyara Tunnel was designed as part of the Charham all-weather road, a federal government initiative with the goal of connecting a number of Hindu pilgrimage sites.
However, experts have expressed concerns that the project will exacerbate already-fragile conditions in the upper Himalayas, where some towns are built upon landslide debris.
