Uttarakhand Glacier, Tapovan Tunnel: 25-35 people are believed to be trapped inside the tunnel
Chamoli, Uttarakhand:
Late Tuesday night, nearly 60 hours after a glacier explosion unleashed an avalanche that trapped between 25 and 35 people inside the 2.5 km long Tapovan Tunnel, rescue teams finally succeeded clear some of the debris and, with great caution, enter the structure.
Images from the ANI news agency showed a joint team of ITBP, NDRF and SDRF personnel, wearing high-visibility jackets and yellow helmets, going through ankle-deep mud and entering the tunnel.
Inside, everything is dark and the meager light from the miners’ torches and lamps shows boulders and large chunks of concrete embedded in the mud and mud that appears to have filled most of the tunnel, which is shaped like a U and It measures 12 by 15 feet.
The tunnel has an entrance and forks, making it difficult to locate the missing men.
“The clearing of debris and sleet continued throughout the night. About 120 meters of the tunnel entrance section is now cleared,” ITBP spokesman Vivek Kumar Pandey told the PTI news agency.
“The height of the accumulated sludge has been reduced … ITBP staff are waiting to enter as soon as possible,” he added.
The challenge, however, is cleaning up the slush quickly (and safely).
“… accumulation of a lot of debris and sludge … we scooped it out through buckets but the sludge keeps coming back. Progress is slow but we are trying to speed it up,” SDRF staff told ANI.
Uttarakhand Glacier – The Tapovan Tunnel is U-shaped, approximately 2.5 km long and 12 by 15 feet
The tunnel walls are cracked and the sound of falling water is heard in the background, while emergency crews shout warnings and notes to each other.
“No one else will come in … no one. Come back, it’s not safe,” a man can be heard.
“Shine the light there, shine there,” says another, while a third yells, “On the wall, the wall.”
#WATCH: A joint team of ITBP, NDRF, SDRF and other sister agencies entered the tunnel (debris being removed). The drone camera is used to see the possibility of entering beyond the cleared site inside the tunnel. The machines return to the task of cleaning the mud: ITBP
(Source: ITBP) pic.twitter.com/akaqkD1sUB
– ANI (@ANI) February 9, 2021
As the video plays, rescuers discuss the best way to proceed. One warns of unstable bags of mud on the floor, another warns of falling rocks and water hazards.
“Everyone shut up … shut up please. Shut up,” yells another voice, as the high-level members take stock.
Finally, after a reconnaissance of the parts of the tunnel that they managed to clear, the men return.
On Tuesday afternoon it was estimated that only 80 of the 180 meters that had to be cleared at the tunnel entrance had been cleared.
Now, it seems that there are still about 60 meters. A senior ITPB official said rescuers had not been able to establish contact with the trapped men, but are expecting “signs of life.”
The clock may be ticking, but rescuers are not losing hope.
Uttarakhand Glacier: Inside the tunnel is dark and treacherous, with mud and debris on the ground.
“We hope to save the people trapped inside,” said emergency workers, who have already saved 12 men from another smaller tunnel.
Outside, meanwhile, other teams are on standby with additional lights and earthmoving equipment. Medical teams are prepared with oxygen cylinders and stretchers to help those who leave.
Also outside are relatives and friends of those trapped in the tunnel, eager for news and desperate to see their loved ones again.
So far 32 deaths have been reported, but with more than 170 people still missing, the number is likely to rise.
With contributions from ANI, PTI
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