Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

India tunnel rescue efforts halted as cracking sound sparks panic

The disaster management office revised the number of people trapped since Sunday (12) morning in the tunnel in Uttarakhand state to 41, up from 40.

India tunnel rescue efforts halted as cracking sound sparks panic

INDIAN rescuers said Saturday (18) they had paused efforts to reach 41 men trapped in a collapsed road tunnel after a cracking sound created a "panic situation" over the possibility of a further cave-in.

Excavators have been removing debris from the under-construction road tunnel in the northern Himalayan state of Uttarakhand since Sunday (12) after a portion of the tunnel the workers were building collapsed.


The week-long rescue efforts have been slowed by the continued falling of debris as well as repeated breakdowns of the crucial heavy drilling machines.

The government's highways and infrastructure company, NHIDCL, said a sudden cracking sound late Friday (17) had "created a panic situation in the tunnel", sparking fears the roof could cave in.

Operations were then halted amid the possibility of "further collapse", NHIDCL said in a statement.

Rescuers have been communicating with the trapped men using radios.

Food, water, oxygen and medicine have also been sent to the trapped workers via a six-inch-wide (15-centimetre) pipe, but those trapped inside are desperate, Indian media reported.

"We keep sending word in, inquiring about their health," Mohammed Rizwan, part of the rescue team, told the Times of India.

"But all of them have just one question: 'When will you bring us out?'"

On Saturday morning, the key work of drilling through the tonnes of earth and rock to reach the men was still on hold, SAID senior local civil servant Abhishek Ruhela.

"Except drilling, other necessary work is going on," Ruhela said.

Rescuers said Friday that they had drilled less than halfway to where the men are trapped.

After the first drill broke down, a replacement earth-boring machine was flown in on Wednesday (15) on an airforce C-130 Hercules military plane -- but that then hit a boulder.

"The machine was not able to push further as the machine was getting lifted and the bearings of the machine were damaged," NHIDCL added.

The airforce said late Friday that a C-17 Globemaster aircraft had flown in "almost 22 tonnes of critical equipment" for the rescue effort.

NHIDCL director Anshu Manish Khalko warned Friday that the rescue operation "may take time."

Engineers are trying to drive a steel pipe about 90 centimetres (nearly three feet) wide through the debris -- wide enough for the trapped men to squeeze through.

Some relatives of those stuck in the tunnel said they had spoken briefly to their loved ones, trapped in the dark for a week.

Vikram Singh was in tears after speaking to his 25-year-old construction worker brother Pushkar, the Times of India reported.

Exhausted, weak and desperate, Puskhar pleaded with him to tell their mother he was well.

"Don't tell Ma that I am one of those stuck here," Pushkar told his brother, the paper reported. "Our mother will be worried if you tell her the truth."

(AFP)

More For You

Chinese vessel tracked in Bay of Bengal after disabling identification system

The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have consistently reported Chinese research vessel presence. (Representational image: Getty Images)

Chinese vessel tracked in Bay of Bengal after disabling identification system

A Chinese research vessel was detected operating in the Bay of Bengal near Indian waters while attempting to conceal its presence by disabling its Automatic Identification System (AIS), according to a report by The Economic Times, citing French maritime intelligence firm Unseenlabs.

The French company conducted a 16-day satellite-based survey tracking ships through radio frequency emissions. It monitored 1,897 vessels, with 9.6 per cent showing no AIS activity, indicating attempts to avoid detection. The survey raised concerns amid increased Chinese activity in the region.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asian-inspired garden earns
five awards at Hampton Court

(From left) Malcolm Anderson (RHS, head of sustainability) Clare Matterson (RHS director general), Lorraine Bishton (Subaru UK and Ireland, managing director) Andrew Ball (director, Big Fish Landscapes) Mike McMahon and Jewlsy Mathews with the medals

Asian-inspired garden earns five awards at Hampton Court

BRITISH Asians are being encouraged to take up gardening by a couple who have won a record five medals at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.

“It’s a contemporary reimagining of a traditional walled garden, highlighting the British and Irish rainforests,” said Jewlsy Mathews, who was born in Britain of parents from Kerala, a southern Indian state known for its lush vegetation.

Keep ReadingShow less
uk weather

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across several regions of England

iStock

England faces widespread heat alerts and hosepipe bans amid rising temperatures

Highlights:

  • Amber heat health alerts in place for large parts of England
  • Hosepipe bans announced in Yorkshire, Kent and Sussex
  • Temperatures could reach 33°C over the weekend
  • Health risks rise, especially for elderly and vulnerable groups

Heat warnings in effect as UK braces for another hot weekend

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across several regions of England, with temperatures expected to climb to 33°C in some areas over the weekend. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) activated the warning at 12 pm on Friday, with it set to remain in place until 9 am on Monday.

The alerts cover the East Midlands, West Midlands, south-east, south-west, East of England, and London. Additional yellow alerts were issued for the north-east, north-west, and Yorkshire and the Humber, starting from midday Friday.

Keep ReadingShow less
Essex ladybird invasion

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear

Dee-anne Markiewicz / SWNS

Swarms of ladybirds invade Essex coastline amid soaring temperatures

Highlights:

  • Ladybird swarms reported across Essex and Suffolk coastal towns
  • Hot weather likely driving the sudden surge in population
  • Sightings include Point Clear, Shoebury, Clacton and Felixstowe
  • Similar outbreaks occurred in 1976 during another hot UK summer

Sudden surge in ladybird numbers across the southeast

Millions of ladybirds have been spotted swarming towns and villages along the Essex coast, with similar sightings stretching into Suffolk. Residents have reported unusually high numbers of the red and black-spotted insects, particularly near coastal areas, with the recent hot weather believed to be a major contributing factor.

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear, a village near St Osyth in Essex, where the insects could be seen piling on top of each other on driftwood and plants.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kapil Sharma

Kapil Sharma’s Canada cafe shot at days after opening

Instagram/ginnichatrath

Kapil Sharma’s Canadian café targeted in shooting, Khalistani terrorist cites mockery of Nihang Sikhs as motive

Highlights:

  • Shots were fired at Kap’s Café in Surrey, Canada, owned by comedian Kapil Sharma, just days after its opening.
  • Khalistani extremist Harjit Singh Laddi, linked to banned group BKI, claimed responsibility.
  • The motive cited was an old comedy segment from The Kapil Sharma Show that allegedly mocked Nihang Sikhs.
  • No injuries were reported; Canadian authorities are investigating the incident.

Comedian Kapil Sharma’s recently launched Kap’s Café in Surrey, British Columbia, was the target of a shooting in the early hours of 10 July. Though no one was harmed, the property sustained significant damage. A known Khalistani extremist, Harjit Singh Laddi, has claimed responsibility for the attack, citing perceived religious disrespect on The Kapil Sharma Show.

 Kap\u2019s Cafe in Surrey  Kap’s Cafe in Surrey was struck by gunfire late at night with staff still insideInstagram/thekapscafe_

Keep ReadingShow less