Live updates: Rat miner’s rescued 41 men from India’s tunnel collapse in Uttarakhand
CM Dhami announces ex gratia of Rs 1 lakh, PM Modi speaks to rescued workers via phone
A huge group of 41 men were rescued Tuesday from a partially collapsed Himalayan highway tunnel in northern India’s Uttarakhand state after they were trapped for 17 days, India’s transportation minister announced. The breakthrough, after a series of failed attempts, was achieved by a team of “rat miners” digging manually through the huge mound of debris that filled a section of the tunnel on Nov. 12.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on social media that the success of the rescue was “making everyone emotional.”
“I want to say to the friends who were trapped in the tunnel that your courage and patience is inspiring everyone. I wish you all well and good health,” Modi said.
"Tireless and sincere efforts by everyone, coupled with prayers from all, have made this operation possible," Nitin Gadkari, the minister of road transport and highways, said on social media. "The dedicated endeavors of the rescue teams have yielded favorable results."