Uttarkashi, Nov 14 (IANS): Rescue operations to save 40 labourers trapped in an under-construction tunnel in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, continued for the third day on Tuesday.

A portion of the under-construction tunnel between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Yamunotri National Highway in Uttarkashi district collapsed due to a landslide in the wee hours on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in touch with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and is continuously taking updates from him.

To rescue the workers from the tunnel, 900 mm diameter steel pipes and drill machines have reached the spot. Special care is being taken to supply oxygen to the labourers trapped in the tunnel.

To ensure that no untoward incident occurs when the workers are taken out of the tunnel, the Health Department has set up a six-bedded temporary hospital to give them immediate medical help.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. RCS Panwar said that the hospital has been set up near the incident site in which oxygen cylinders have also been installed. Ten ambulances along with a 24-hour medical team have also been deployed in this hospital.

Manikant Mishra, Commandant SDRF, who is leading the rescue operation, on Tuesday talked to the workers trapped in the tunnel through a walkie-talkie and inquired about their well-being. The workers told him that they were all fine and hoped that they would be rescued soon.

Manikant Mishra encouraged them and asked them to have patience and courage. He also assured them that they would be rescued soon.

Apart from this, essential food items and some medicines were also delivered to them through a compressor.

The district administration has given details of the labourers trapped in the tunnel. Out of the 40 labourers, 15 are from Jharkhand, three from Bihar, four from Bengal, two from Uttarakhand, one from Himachal, eight from Uttar Pradesh, two from Assam and five from Odisha.