Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Rescuers race to save 40 workers trapped in India tunnel

Rescuers are racing to save 40 workers trapped inside a collapsed tunnel in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand since Sunday morning. The workers, who were building the tunnel, were trapped when part of it caved in due to a landslide. Officials have been able to establish contact with the men and have been providing them with food, water and oxygen while they try to get them out. On Tuesday morning, the state government said rescue teams were "preparing to drill and insert a metal pipe of 900mm diameter in the part of the tunnel blocked by debris" to reach the workers. Officials hope the men will be able to squeeze through the narrow pipe to safety. The tunnel in Uttarkashi district is part of the federal government's ambitious highway project to improve connectivity to famous pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand. A landslide nearby caused heavy debris to fall on the tunnel, leading to its collapse. A pipeline, which was laid for supplying water to the tunnel for construction work, is now being used to supply the trapped men with oxygen, food and water, they added.