'23 Silkyara 'rat miners' offer to join Nepal tunnel rescue
A team of Indian 'rat miners' who gained fame for their role in the 2023 Silkyara tunnel rescue has offered to assist in rescue operations for flood-hit hydropower tunnels in Nepal. The miners specialize in manual excavation techniques that can be used where heavy machinery fails.
Why it matters
It showcases the potential for specialized human expertise to bridge gaps in disaster response where traditional technology is ineffective.
A Delhi-NCR team of "rat miners", whose manual excavation helped rescue all 41 workers trapped in Silkyara tunnel in 2023, has offered to join rescue operations in flood-hit Nepal, where at least 900 workers are missing from 12 hydropower projects and about 500 are believed to be inside tunnels. Nepal Army has been prioritising search and rescue operations in 19 hydropower tunnels.Anand Kansal, Pune-based volunteer coordinator for the team, has written to Indian ambassador to Nepal, seeking help in placing the miners' expertise at the disposal of Nepalese authorities."We were highly moved after seeing news and videos (of the floods)...
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