Uttarkashi Tunnel
Collapse to Rescue
Full Coverage - With Timline
The Uttarkashi tunnel collapse was a major disaster that occurred on November 12, 2023, when a portion of the under-construction Silkyara tunnel, part of the Char Dham project, caved in due to a landslide, trapping 41 workers inside.
The rescue operation lasted for 17 days and involved multiple agencies, including the NDRF, SDRF, BRO, NHIDCL, ITBP, and the Army.
Here is a complete timeline of the event and the rescue efforts:
November 12: The tunnel collapses at around 5:30 am on the day of Diwali. The district administration launches the rescue operation and arranges to supply oxygen, electricity, and food to the trapped workers through air-compressed pipes.
November 13: The rescue teams clear about 40 meters of debris and reach the first chamber of the tunnel, where they find 12 workers alive. They also establish contact with the workers trapped in the second chamber, about 150 meters away from the first chamber.
November 14: The rescue teams face difficulties in clearing the debris due to the presence of boulders, metal girders, and water. They use heavy machinery, explosives, and manual labour to remove the obstacles.
November 15: The rescue teams manage to clear about 70 meters of debris and reach the second chamber, where they find 29 workers alive. They also provide medical assistance, blankets, and heaters to the workers.
November 16: The rescue teams face another challenge as the tunnel narrows down to about 2.5 meters in diameter, making it difficult to use heavy machinery. They decide to use a US-made auger machine, which can drill through the debris and create a vertical shaft to evacuate the workers.
November 17: The auger machine arrives at the site and is assembled by the experts. The drilling work begins at around 10 pm.
November 18: The auger machine drills about 10 meters and hits a metal girder, which causes a technical snag. The drilling work is halted for several hours as the experts try to fix the problem.
November 19: The auger machine resumes drilling and reaches about 20 meters. However, it hits another obstacle, which is suspected to be a boulder or a concrete slab. The drilling work is stopped again.
November 20: The rescue teams use explosives to blast the obstacle and clear the way for the auger machine. The drilling work resumes and reaches about 30 meters.
November 21: The auger machine drills about 40 meters and hits another metal girder, which causes another technical snag. The drilling work is halted for several hours as the experts try to fix the problem.
November 22: The auger machine resumes drilling and reaches about 50 meters. However, it hits another obstacle, which is suspected to be a boulder or a concrete slab. The drilling work is stopped again.
November 23: The rescue teams use explosives to blast the obstacle and clear the way for the auger machine. The drilling work resumes and reaches about 60 meters.
November 24: The auger machine drills about 70 meters and hits another metal girder, which causes another technical snag. The drilling work is halted for several hours as the experts try to fix the problem.
November 25: The auger machine resumes drilling and reaches about 80 meters. However, it hits another obstacle, which is suspected to be a boulder or a concrete slab. The drilling work is stopped again.
November 26: The rescue teams use explosives to blast the obstacle and clear the way for the auger machine. The drilling work resumes and reaches about 90 meters.
November 27: The auger machine drills about 100 meters and hits another metal girder, which causes another technical snag. The drilling work is halted for several hours as the experts try to fix the problem.
November 28: The auger machine resumes drilling and reaches the final depth of 110 meters, where it connects with the horizontal tunnel. The rescue teams create a vertical shaft and start evacuating the workers one by one using a special capsule. All 41 workers are rescued by 6 pm and taken to a nearby hospital for medical check-up.
This is a summary of the Uttarkashi tunnel collapse and the rescue operation, based on the information available from various sources. I hope you found it informative and helpful.
