The first images emerged on Tuesday of 41 men trapped for more than a week in a highway tunnel in the Indian Himalayas, showing them standing in the confined space and communicating with rescue workers.
For relatives standing by, relief as these first images of 41 men trapped in a highway tunnel in the Indian Himalayas surface.
The men have been stuck in the 3-mile tunnel in Uttarakhand state since it caved in early on November 12.
The visual connection was made possible by a medical endoscopy camera pushed through a pipeline that had been drilled through the rock.
A comfort for Indrajeet Kumar whose brother is one of the workers.
"Earlier we were worried that if the thin pipe did not get through for whatever reason, what would be an alternative solution, how long the process outside will take is hard to say. Since the second pipe went through, I feel very relieved that there are no worries about however long it it takes, he will come out safely and I am happy about that."
Rescuers on Tuesday were set to resume drilling horizontally through 195 feet of debris to push through a larger pipe for the men to crawl out, a government statement said.
Drilling was suspended on Friday (November 17) after a machine snag and fears of a fresh collapse.
Authorities are also working on five other rescue plans, including drilling vertically from the top of the mountain, the statement said.
Tunnelling expert Arnold Dix explains the process.
"The works are being done for the augering for the evacuation tunnel, which is being drilled as well…works are also being done to create safe places within the tunnel, as I mentioned yesterday, this is still an extremely dangerous environment, so we're making it safe for the rescuers in there as well."
The newly established pipeline is also being used to send through freshly prepared hot food.
Doctors have also provided vitamin C and rehydration solution, while suggesting yoga and meditation to keep the workers well.
Sandeep Vohra is a New Delhi-based psychiatrist.
‘’Now, the symptoms could be in the form of anxiety, palpitation…you know, serious negative thinking and in extreme cases, you could have a death wish also."
What caused the tunnel to cave in is still unknown, but the region is prone to landslides, earthquakes and floods.
#india #tunnel #rescue
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