Rescue workers on Thursday attempt to rescue 35 workers from a collapsed tunnel in the Indian Himalayas with a large drill. The men have been detained since Sunday after a devastating flood in Uttarakhand state.
The disaster killed at least 33 others. 171 people have been reported missing. Most of the victims were employees of a hydroelectric power station and a dam in the affected area. Both structures were destroyed after a wall of water rolled through the valley on Sunday morning.
The workers trapped in the 2.5-kilometer tunnel also work for the hydroelectric power station. The army was deployed to clear the collapsed tunnel of debris, but after four days they only got 100 meters further. On Thursday, the rescue services will also try with a drill.
Family members complain about the slow rescue operation and the lack of progress at the tunnel. In addition, there is the uncertainty about the chances of survival of the men who are trapped in the mountain.
Indian authorities initially believed that a chipped piece of glacier that collapsed into a river had caused the flood. However, some scientists say it is more likely that the disaster was triggered by an avalanche.
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