Uttarakhand tunnel collapse Day 5: Rescuers dig through holes with auger drill machine flown from Delhi

The auger machine, having a penetration rate of the new machine is 4-5 metres per hour, was brought from Delhi. The auger machine, brought in three batches by Hercules aircraft of the Air Force, landed at Chinyalisaur airport.

Dehradun:Rescuers, who are up against the daunting task of evacuating 40 workers trapped in an under-construction tunnel in Silkyara in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi, installed an auger drill machine to speed up the process of digging through the debris.

As the search for the trapped miners intensified on the fifth day on Thursday, experts were called in to monitor the mental health of the miners whose situation is continuously being assessed through constant communication.

Officials said they sought advice from Norwegian and Thai experts considering the fragile state of the mountains where the tunnel is located. Still, 50 metres of debris needs to be penetrated to insert 800 mm of evacuation tubes.

Authorities on Wednesday brought three consignments of the new auger drill machine that were flown from Delhi by Hercules aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The auger machine, having a penetration rate of the new machine is 4-5 metres per hour, was brought from Delhi. The auger machine, brought in three batches by Hercules aircraft of the Air Force, landed at Chinyalisaur airport.

The first Hercules aircraft of the Air Force, carrying parts of the new machine from Hindon Airbase in New Delhi, landed at Chinyalisaur airstrip at around 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Thereafter parts were transported by truck to the Silkyara Tunnel at around 4.45 p.m.

Colonel Deepak Patil, in charge of the relief and rescue operation, said that the Jack and Push Earth Auger machine, made in the US, is very advanced, and works fast. Now the military operation team has also joined the relief and rescue mission.

"Apart from this, the help of special teams from Norway and Thailand is also being taken to rescue 40 labourers trapped in the tunnel. A rescue company in Thailand has been contacted. This is the same company that had rescued children trapped in a cave in Thailand. Suggestions have been also sought from Norway's NGI agency. Besides, suggestions are also being taken from experts of Indian Railways, RVNL, RITES and IRCON," he added.

Meanwhile, an earthquake occurred in Uttarkashi district late on Wednesday night. Panic spread soon after as authorities feared disruption in rescue work though the rescue in Silkyara Tunnel continued without any hitch.