Families desperate for news as rescue efforts are temporarily suspended over fears of more cave-ins

Rescue teams in Uttarakhand, India have been working tirelessly for a week to save 40 construction workers trapped in a collapsed highway tunnel. The workers became stranded when a portion of the tunnel caved in, hindering rescue efforts in the fragile mountain terrain.

Efforts to reach the trapped workers were temporarily paused after a "large-scale cracking sound" was heard, causing a panic among rescuers. There were concerns of further collapse, leading to the suspension of work. A high-powered drilling machine had been used to drill about 25 meters into the collapsed tunnel before the pause.

Rescuers have been supplying the trapped workers with light, oxygen, food, water, and medicines. They have also been able to communicate with them via walkie-talkie. However, as the days pass without any significant progress, families anxiously wait for news of their loved ones.

The rescue operation is challenging due to the effects of drilling vibrations on the already fragile terrain. The 4.5km tunnel, part of a project to connect Hindu shrines, is seen as one of the ambitious undertakings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

Authorities have not given a reason for the collapse, but the region is prone to landslides, earthquakes, and floods. Accidents on construction sites are not uncommon in India.

Source: CNN, News Agencies, Times of India