Uttarakhand tunnel rescue

Uttarakhand tunnel rescue
Date
  • 12–28 November 2023 (2023-11-12 – 2023-11-28)
  • (16 days)
Time05:30 IST
LocationSilkyara Bend–Barkot tunnel, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India
Coordinates30°45′26.9″N 78°15′48.8″E / 30.757472°N 78.263556°E / 30.757472; 78.263556
CauseTunnel collapse
OutcomeAll 41 trapped workers rescued

On 12 November 2023, a section of the Silkyara Bend–Barkot tunnel, planned to connect National Highway 134 in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, India, caved in while under construction. The collapse occurred at around 05:30 IST and trapped 41 workers inside the tunnel.[1][2]

Rescue operations were immediately launched, with a number of government agencies involved, including the National Disaster Response Force, the State Disaster Response Force, Uttarakhand Police, engineers from the Indian Army Corps of Engineers, and Project Shivalik of the Border Roads Organisation.[3][4][5][6] Numerous private resources were utilized in the rescue efforts as well, including Australian tunnelling experts Arnold Dix and Chris Cooper.[7][8]

Though the initial attempts at a rescue were complicated because of the kinds of debris created in the collapse, the government brought in "rat-hole" miners who were able to use manual mining methods to get an access pipe to the trapped workers.[9] All 41 workers were rescued, and the collapse triggered a safety audit of other tunnels in the area.

  1. ^ Sebastian, Meryl (14 November 2023). "Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Rescuers race to save 41 workers trapped in India tunnel". BBC News. Archived from the original on 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  2. ^ "Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse Update: How Will The Trapped Workers Be Rescued?". NBC Right Now. India times. 14 November 2023. Archived from the original on 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  3. ^ "How Border Roads Organisation Aided The Himalayan Rescue Op". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Rescuers dig to reach 41 workers trapped in collapsed road tunnel in north India". AP News. 13 November 2023. Archived from the original on 13 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  5. ^ "40 Indian workers to spend third night trapped in collapsed tunnel as rescue slows". The Independent. 14 November 2023. Archived from the original on 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Uttarakhand tunnel rescue ops: Indian Army's engineer regiment called in for manual drilling". DNA India. Archived from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Uttarkashi tunnel rescue operation: 'We can get through', says Mirco Tunnelling expert Chris Cooper ahead of manual drilling | TOI Original – Times of India Videos". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  8. ^ "Meet Arnold Dix, tunnelling expert India thanks for Uttarkashi rescue". India Today. Archived from the original on 28 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).