Silkyara tunnel rescue: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee sends team to help evacuate trapped workers

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) announced that the rescue operations are close to a breakthrough. Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, an NDMA Member, revealed that 58 meters of drilling has been completed, with a remaining two meters to reach the trapped workers.

Silkyara tunnel rescue: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee sends team to Uttarkashi to help evacuate trapped workers

Team Asianet Newsable

First Published Nov 28, 2023, 6:48 PM IST | Last Updated Nov 28, 2023, 6:48 PM IST

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday (November 28) took swift action in response to the workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel collapse in Uttarkashi. Banerjee revealed on social media that a team, led by Rajdeep Dutta from the Office of Resident Commissioner, New Delhi, has been dispatched to facilitate the safe return of the affected workers to West Bengal.

The team comprises individuals like Shubhabrata Pramanick, Somnath Chakraborty, and Raju Kumar Sinha, who have been mobilized to assist workers Manir Talukdar, Sevik Pakhera, and Jaidev Pramanik trapped in the tunnel. Banerjee assured complete support for the trapped individuals.

Silkyara tunnel rescue: 41 trapped workers expected to exit tunnel in 3-4 hours, confirms NDMA (WATCH)

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) announced that the rescue operations are close to a breakthrough. Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, an NDMA Member, revealed that 58 meters of drilling has been completed, with a remaining two meters to reach the trapped workers.

Once the breakthrough occurs, Hasnain estimated a time frame of 3-4 hours to safely extract all the trapped workers, estimating about 3-5 minutes to evacuate each worker using a wheeled stretcher through the rescue pipe.

Acknowledging the relentless efforts of the rat miners who managed to dig 10 meters in under 24 hours, Hasnain emphasized the stringent security and safety measures in place for both the trapped workers inside the Silkyara tunnel and those engaged in the ongoing rescue operations.

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