Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Video shows trapped Indian workers.

 A camera has recorded footage of the 41 workers who have been trapped in a tunnel in Uttarakhand state, India, for nine days. 

On Monday, an endoscopic camera was used to film the workers after being inserted into a newly drilled pipe within the tunnel. 

 This pipe was also utilized to provide the workers with their first hot meal in days, as they had previously been surviving on snacks sent through a narrower pipe.

The incident occurred on November 12th in the Uttarkashi district of the northern state, following a landslide that caused the collapse of the under-construction tunnel.

 

 Contact with the trapped men was established soon after the incident, and they have been receiving oxygen, food, and water since then.

 

 A breakthrough in the rescue operation occurred on Monday evening when a six-inch diameter pipe was successfully pushed through the debris inside the tunnel. A small camera attached to a flexible cable was placed into the pipe, allowing the rescuers to film the trapped workers. 

 The footage was observed by the rescuers on a computer screen outside the tunnel. In the video, one of the officials can be seen holding a walkie-talkie and communicating with the men.

 

The workers, wearing safety helmets and jackets, gathered in a semi-circle near the camera. The official informed them that the pipe would soon be cleaned, and that water would be sent to them. The workers seemed delighted to see their friends through the camera, expressing their anticipation to meet them in person.

 

The new pipe, wider than the previous one, was inserted into the tunnel to facilitate the provision of more oxygen, food, and essential supplies such as medicines, mobile phones, and chargers. It has already been used to deliver the workers' first hot meal, khichdi, which was packed in bottles. 

 The rescue operation, now in its tenth day, has faced challenges due to loose soil and falling debris. 

 The plan is to excavate a hole wide enough to accommodate multiple 900mm pipes, enabling the workers to crawl out of the tunnel.

 

 In addition to this main route, officials are also digging two more tunnels as additional escape routes. Four 900mm pipes have been pushed through the debris wall, with welding work on the fifth pipe underway.

 

 During a visit to the site, Federal Highways and Roads Minister Nitin Gadkari estimated that the rescue operations could continue for "two to three days." Despite the obstacles, Col Deepak Patil, leading the rescue operation, expressed confidence in the success of their efforts, saying, "We are trying all our options and we will succeed