Rescuers are making all-out drilling efforts to reach 12 workers whowere trapped in a collapsed tunnel at the construction site of the DaDang-Da Chomo hydropower plant in Central Highlands Lam Dong provincesince December 16.
By 9:00 am on December 19,they successfully drilled through a pile of soil and rock from the backof the tunnel reaching the collapsed section. This drill creates a6-cm-diameter hole to support air ventilation for the workers.
The new hole, together with three others in the front of the tunnel,will help drain water in the tunnel faster, according to the rescueteam, which includes military sappers, miners, and policemen.
In the meantime, the team has reportedly made progress in digging twoauxiliary trenches on both sides the tunnel for bringing the workersout.
At 7:00 am on December 19, the diggers said they advanced about 15m for the right tunnel and 10m for the left one.
On December 18 night, rescuers began the second drill from the top ofthe hill where the tunnel runs through after the first one which went asdeep as 40 meters before struck by rock and broken.
Early on December 19, the second drill was reported to go as deep as 30metres through the 70-metre soil and rock pile. The 10-cm-diameter holewould allow better communications with the workers as well as providinga channel for the delivery of clothes and other food to keep them warmand healthy.
The 475 trillion VND (22.6 billion USD)plant, invested by the Civil Engineering Construction Corp. No. 5(CIENCO 5), is designed to have a capacity of 22 MW.
The collapsed site is about 500 metres from the opening of the700-m-long tunnel running though the mountain to bring water to theplant.
Thirty-two workers were in the tunnel when the collapse occurred and 20 of them were able to escape.
Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai arrived at the scene on December 18 to direct the rescue operation.
Minister of Construction Trinh Dinh Dung, Minister of Industry andTrade Vu Huy Hoang, and Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien were alsopresent at the scene, pledging all necessary measures to be deployed tosave the victims.-VNA
By 9:00 am on December 19,they successfully drilled through a pile of soil and rock from the backof the tunnel reaching the collapsed section. This drill creates a6-cm-diameter hole to support air ventilation for the workers.
The new hole, together with three others in the front of the tunnel,will help drain water in the tunnel faster, according to the rescueteam, which includes military sappers, miners, and policemen.
In the meantime, the team has reportedly made progress in digging twoauxiliary trenches on both sides the tunnel for bringing the workersout.
At 7:00 am on December 19, the diggers said they advanced about 15m for the right tunnel and 10m for the left one.
On December 18 night, rescuers began the second drill from the top ofthe hill where the tunnel runs through after the first one which went asdeep as 40 meters before struck by rock and broken.
Early on December 19, the second drill was reported to go as deep as 30metres through the 70-metre soil and rock pile. The 10-cm-diameter holewould allow better communications with the workers as well as providinga channel for the delivery of clothes and other food to keep them warmand healthy.
The 475 trillion VND (22.6 billion USD)plant, invested by the Civil Engineering Construction Corp. No. 5(CIENCO 5), is designed to have a capacity of 22 MW.
The collapsed site is about 500 metres from the opening of the700-m-long tunnel running though the mountain to bring water to theplant.
Thirty-two workers were in the tunnel when the collapse occurred and 20 of them were able to escape.
Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai arrived at the scene on December 18 to direct the rescue operation.
Minister of Construction Trinh Dinh Dung, Minister of Industry andTrade Vu Huy Hoang, and Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien were alsopresent at the scene, pledging all necessary measures to be deployed tosave the victims.-VNA
