Rescue workers gather near the tunnel that collapsed in India's Uttarakhand state (AFP)
Rescuers were able to make contact on Monday with 40 labourers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand and were hopeful they would be rescued soon, an official said.
The tunnel, which was being constructed on a national highway that is part of a Hindu pilgrimage route, collapsed early Sunday morning.
"Rescue workers are preparing an escape passage by drilling the debris," local police superintendent Arpan Yaduvanshi told Reuters on the phone.
"Food and water was supplied to the labourers and we are hopeful that the rescue operation will be completed soon. Everyone inside, about 40 labourers, is fit," the police officer said.
Uttarakhand in north India is vulnerable to landslides, earthquakes and floods.
The Char Dham pilgrimage project is one of the most ambitious projects of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. It aims to connect four important Hindu pilgrimage sites of North India through 889 km of two-lane road being constructed at a cost of $1.5 billion.
Tanzania's electoral commission declared on Saturday that President Samia Suluhu Hassan had won, with nearly 98 per cent of the votes, an election that set off violent protests across the country this week.
Residents of Vietnam's UNESCO-listed ancient town of Hoi An began cleaning up on Saturday as floodwaters receded after days of torrential rain that caused deadly flooding and widespread damage across the central region.
Foreign ministers of some Muslim countries will meet in Istanbul on Monday to discuss the Gaza ceasefire and next steps there, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday, voicing concern over whether the ceasefire will continue.
Tanzania's main opposition party said on Friday hundreds of people had been killed in protests over elections across the country this week, as the government said it was restoring order after "isolated incidents".
A Turkish court sentenced 11 people to life in prison on Friday over a fire that killed 78 people at a ski resort in northwest Turkey's Bolu mountains in January, state media reported.
China's Shenzhou-21 space rocket and its crew including the youngest member of its astronaut corps blasted off on Friday atop a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China, Chinese state media reported.
The Israeli military attacked the Gaza Strip for a third day on Thursday night, killing two people, the Palestinian Authority's official news agency said, in another test of a fragile ceasefire agreement.
The United States cancelled a planned Budapest summit between President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin following Russia's firm stance on hardline demands regarding Ukraine, the Financial Times reported on Friday.
Welcome to Pinoy Bulletin, your go-to source for staying informed about important announcements, exciting group activities, community events, and job opportunities!
Make sure to tune in every weekdays to Tag Gising Na from 5AM - 10 AM for a comprehensive roundup of important updates.
Welcome to Pinoy Bulletin, your go-to source for staying informed about important announcements, exciting group activities, community events, and job opportunities!
Make sure to tune in every weekdays to Tag Gising Na from 5AM - 10 AM for a comprehensive roundup of important updates.
Tanzania's Hassan declared landslide winner in election marred by violence
Vietnam's ancient town Hoi An works to restore tourism after devastating floods
Turkey to host Gaza meeting amid ceasefire concerns
Tanzania opposition says hundreds killed in vote protests
Turkey sentences 11 people to life in prison over ski resort hotel fire
China sends its youngest astronaut to 'Heavenly Palace' space station
Israel launches more strikes on Gaza overnight, testing fragile truce
Trump-Putin summit cancelled, FT reports
