Uttarakhand : At least 40 people feared trapped in Uttarkashi tunnel collapse; rescue ops under way

Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) [India], November 13 (ANI): Rescue operations are underway at an under-construction tunnel in Uttarkashi that collapsed earlier on Sunday.
Speaking to ANI about the ongoing rescue operation at the tunnel, Mritunjay Kumar, the loader operator, said that the team is removing the debris using excavators and other heavy machines.
"The work of mucking is underway. Mucking is being done with the loader & excavator. Approximately 30-35 meters of the tunnel have been broken. The incident happened around 5:30 am. We have information about around 40-45 people being trapped. Everyone is safe," he added.
The SDRF team is leading the rescue operation.
Earlier in the day, Uttarkashi District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela said the priority of the administration is to evacuate workers trapped inside the under-construction tunnel, and rescue operations are ongoing on war footing.
The DM, while cancelling the leaves of all the officers of the district, instructed them to immediately report to their respective workplaces and be ready round the clock for relief and rescue operations.
According to Uttarkashi SP Arpan Yaduvanshi, a portion of the under-construction tunnel connecting Silkyara to Dandalgaon collapsed on Saturday night. A part of the tunnel broke about 200 metres ahead of the starting point on the Silkyara side of Brahmakhal-Polgaon.
Yaduvanshi said according to the officials of Hydroelectricity Investment and Development Company Limited (HIDCL), which has been contracted to build the tunnel, about 36 people are feared trapped under the debris and efforts are underway to pull them out alive.
"Efforts are on to open up the tunnel. The process of removing debris from inside the tunnel is already in progress," an official said.
A team from the State Disaster Response Team (SDRF) and the police are in charge of the ongoing rescue operations.
Word about the tunnel collapse was received at the District Control Room, Uttarkashi, with the caller requesting the assistance of an SDRF team at the spot.
Acting on the information, SDRF Commander Manikant Mishra directed a rescue team led by Inspector Jagdamba Vijalwan to leave for the spot with the necessary rescue equipment, they said.
"After reaching the spot, the SDRF personnel launched a relief and rescue operation on a war footing in coordination with other rescue units," the official said. (ANI)