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40 workers have been trapped inside a collapsed tunnel in India for over a week and 3 attempts to drill through the debris have failed so far

GamoAccu

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Rescuers have been working for over a week to extricate 40 workers trapped inside a collapsed tunnel in northern India, and are now shifting strategies following three failed attempts to drill through the debris.

The tunnel partially collapsed on November 12 after a landslide in the state of Uttarakhand. Rescue crews have been able to send radios, food, water, and oxygen to the workers through a pipe, according to The New York Times.

Rescuers have now made three attempts to drill through the debris to reach the workers from various angles, but all have failed, the BBC reported on Sunday. Officials told reporters the land around the tunnel was fragile, and drilling could risk more debris falling.

"We have decided to go with a pause-and-go approach to maintain the equilibrium," Anshu Manish Khalkho, director of state-run highway management company, said Friday, according to CNN. "It may look easy from the outside, but on-site we have to factor in the effects of the drilling vibrations on the fragile terrain."

uttarakhand india tunnel collapse

Rescue workers gather at the site after a tunnel collapsed in the Uttarkashi district of India's Uttarakhand state.AFP via Getty Images
Officials have now identified a spot directly above the tunnel that rescuers will attempt to drill through, and workers are preparing a platform for the drilling machine. The officials told reporters the rescue could take an additional four or five days, according to the BBC.

One doctor on the site, who has been speaking with the trapped workers, said some of them have developed concerning symptoms such as headaches and vomiting.

"They are suffering from anxiety and gastritis. We sent medicines, dry fruits, chickpeas, and puffed rice," Dr. B.S. Pokriyal told CNN. "They kept asking us to get them out fast, so I spent some time counseling and motivating them."

Pokriyal added that the men have about 0.6 miles of space within the tunnel to walk around.

Before the landslide, the trapped workers had been building part of a national highway project intended to facilitate pilgrimages to the major Hindu shrines in Uttarakhand.

 
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Rescuers have been working for over a week to extricate 40 workers trapped inside a collapsed tunnel in northern India, and are now shifting strategies following three failed attempts to drill through the debris.

The tunnel partially collapsed on November 12 after a landslide in the state of Uttarakhand. Rescue crews have been able to send radios, food, water, and oxygen to the workers through a pipe, according to The New York Times.

Rescuers have now made three attempts to drill through the debris to reach the workers from various angles, but all have failed, the BBC reported on Sunday. Officials told reporters the land around the tunnel was fragile, and drilling could risk more debris falling.

"We have decided to go with a pause-and-go approach to maintain the equilibrium," Anshu Manish Khalkho, director of state-run highway management company, said Friday, according to CNN. "It may look easy from the outside, but on-site we have to factor in the effects of the drilling vibrations on the fragile terrain."

uttarakhand india tunnel collapse

Rescue workers gather at the site after a tunnel collapsed in the Uttarkashi district of India's Uttarakhand state.AFP via Getty Images
Officials have now identified a spot directly above the tunnel that rescuers will attempt to drill through, and workers are preparing a platform for the drilling machine. The officials told reporters the rescue could take an additional four or five days, according to the BBC.

One doctor on the site, who has been speaking with the trapped workers, said some of them have developed concerning symptoms such as headaches and vomiting.

"They are suffering from anxiety and gastritis. We sent medicines, dry fruits, chickpeas, and puffed rice," Dr. B.S. Pokriyal told CNN. "They kept asking us to get them out fast, so I spent some time counseling and motivating them."

Pokriyal added that the men have about 0.6 miles of space within the tunnel to walk around.

Before the landslide, the trapped workers had been building part of a national highway project intended to facilitate pilgrimages to the major Hindu shrines in Uttarakhand.

As long as they can get food and water through they should be ok
 
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As long as they can get food and water through they should be ok

I wouldn't be too sure of that.

First, there's the psychological trauma. I bet most of these workers have developed claustrophobia by now.

Then there's the potential sociological trauma of living with 40 people in a tight space where there's practically zero privacy.

So yeah, I wouldn't go as far as to say "should be ok."

Frankly, I'd go crazy in a situation like this though, granted, I suffer from Asperger's syndrome and basically require a lot of space and breathing room!

The sad thing is, I doubt these people will receive any psychological consolation once this is all over. We expect people to just walk it off!

But I digress.
 
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I wouldn't be too sure of that.

First, there's the psychological trauma. I bet most of these workers have developed claustrophobia by now.

Then there's the potential sociological trauma of living with 40 people in a tight space where there's practically zero privacy.

So yeah, I wouldn't go as far as to say "should be ok."

Frankly, I'd go crazy in a situation like this though, granted, I suffer from Asperger's syndrome and basically require a lot of space and breathing room!

The sad thing is, I doubt these people will receive any psychological consolation once this is all over. We expect people to just walk it off!

But I digress.
Very valid points
 
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I wouldn't be too sure of that.

First, there's the psychological trauma. I bet most of these workers have developed claustrophobia by now.

Then there's the potential sociological trauma of living with 40 people in a tight space where there's practically zero privacy.

So yeah, I wouldn't go as far as to say "should be ok."

Frankly, I'd go crazy in a situation like this though, granted, I suffer from Asperger's syndrome and basically require a lot of space and breathing room!

The sad thing is, I doubt these people will receive any psychological consolation once this is all over. We expect people to just walk it off!

But I digress.

Well if they can walk out alive they will be fine. They might never want to work in similar situation
 
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I wouldn't be too sure of that.

First, there's the psychological trauma. I bet most of these workers have developed claustrophobia by now.

Then there's the potential sociological trauma of living with 40 people in a tight space where there's practically zero privacy.

So yeah, I wouldn't go as far as to say "should be ok."

Frankly, I'd go crazy in a situation like this though, granted, I suffer from Asperger's syndrome and basically require a lot of space and breathing room!

The sad thing is, I doubt these people will receive any psychological consolation once this is all over. We expect people to just walk it off!

But I digress.
I know what you mean, I was once trapped in an elevator, vert scary
 
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Panic attacks are likely to set in. Pretty bad for everyone involved.
 
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