Rat-hole mining, used in Uttarakhand's Silkyara rescue, deployed to save Nepal workers
Rescuers have reached 125 metres into the tunnel and are pumping out water, with oil mixed in it raising hopes they are nearing the underground power station.
Tunnel experts and rescuers in Nepal are employing a technique called rat-hole mining, first used in the 2024 Uttarakhand Silkyara tunnel rescue, to aid in the search for six workers trapped after devastating floods on August 26. The rescue operation involves digging deep into the debris, with tunnel experts from the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force, and Nepalese Army taking part.
Twenty tunnel experts and 37 Nepalese Army personnel are currently working on the rescue, with at least 909 people missing at various flood sites. Unlike the successful Silkyara rescue, where 41 trapped workers managed to communicate with rescuers, rescuers in Chilime have yet to make contact with the trapped workers. Despite the challenges, officials remain hopeful, as water has been cleared to a depth of 125 metres, potentially leading to the power station.
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