Transcript for Rescue in Thailand: Water levels dropping as workers pump water from cave

And thank you for joining us here for special edition of ABC news live rescue in Thailand on GO but he does. Here at ABC news headquarters in New York City. And of course we're also joined here by doctor Jennifer Ashton our chief medical correspondent Garrity BC because we're going to be talking over the next half hour we're going to be talking about this issue. And that effort to rescue these boys for trapped in that game. In Thailand we're gonna turn now first to James Longley and he is live in Thailand right now for us you are right outside that cave James. What we know right now. What we know G just the last few minutes is from the government which is that. The water level seems to have been significantly. Reduced. And now the Thai government has been quite keen as we pull through this whole process that we've been at. Just over a week now to say that they've been at it making good progress but it does seem that the war set. They won't say level and not pay. They'll start to be coming down but has been the whole bottle from the very beginning it's of the cave is. Something like two point nine miles long the first three to 400 meters were told. There isn't much loss and if the school now we've seen this sort grainy pictures actually. Of what is in now with war set to stop their ankles cited the water looks to be coming down and out first bought. And then you get to the second part of the K. That the board to get that off deep. And most of the time in most of the cabins along the passageways and tunnels the Walter is about now heights. Some of that some of the heavens it's still. That's seating level which means that the boys would not have any way to create. They need to keep him along the surface of the wars that they want to get them out of that they do you know woman diving they feel that it's too dangerous for them. So that is the aim to get those who lost remaining areas. To bring the war to down interestingly he has just he was just been speaking to local brokaw's. And he talked about. Fisons. Site thins in the case. Which he's describing as being basically bled the waters spinning. Me those underground that is under war so passageway Weathers was would have to die so much and you're in the wards you and you want to go. From one haven't the next coming to deals that would essentially seem to be describing as well pools. That's an ED talent and on the sound really frightening amounted. Today is always trying to deal with as well trying to get out so I think that's part of the reason why we haven't seen as boys yet these conditions. Really difficult outside. And James. That's good news that the water is being reduced because what we've been hearing his is real concern that these kids would have to sort of scuba dive their way out of this and and that's what these rescuers were were hoping. They didn't have to do and so now they've been pumping that water out right. Yet us writes that had a whole series of pumps. Something like sixty pumps working around the call. Some of them all enormous 400 rules out pumps really trying hard to get the warts are out of that cave and we've been told anecdotally that it brings. They ward sat down flat files. One entity cents a Gates's. Which is gates but is nominal and so now they're building down upstream from the K. To stop the war to going in now in the first place and not what told Brady that Stahl C diminish the wars that levels we don't. Get official numbers often from the government. A local news as saying it acted be up something like forty centimeters of about fifteen inches and now. So just amounted dot difference to the pumps a moment down it is about really it's I've now to bring. Bring the water level down but they do want to bring those boys out along the stuff this the the government will say commenting. Not the wolves are in the cave is just coming from outside. The stream has been flying in but also it's a limestone cave awards. Seeps in from around I went into a Cape May and unveil down places water comes in from. All over us it is really difficult to get it was a down there are multiple sources of entry. And by dot downward could be case. Yeah and we're looking at images right now of you in one of those games in one of those caves earlier and you can. You can see just how dark it is how Dan that is and helpful but most of vengeance. It's quite a thing being an anti I mean what what possessed these boys to go as far as they did Friday night because. When we went and you know you you go. 23 needs is in less and it is basically pitch black. It's you can't see anything I mean even the fight might we have up a much like a much and we are trying to speed up delivery. Doesn't really help you much at school the ground is very very uneven the walls. Overseas not just its raw but it's. Hogs. Extraordinary Lee Roth. So for those boys have been kind of swimming and not wards. Trying to get out and sitting on the bank with told the book cuts and bruises on them because of the stomach type that I'm down and ice caves that being in that but he did give me creeps and to think how Hamas. Deep Korean you can go these caves huge they go for miles and miles. I'm so I mean just being an effort few minutes is. His way to now and then imagine being that for days and days and Alan day fourteen of this deal. And that's still sitting on that muddy bank. And it's still being threatened by the lots of them. And James where we're looking right now at the videos of those kids they are underground in that cave covered up. Flying to protect themselves but we also have a live picture right now. Of workers that are that are still there James what time is it right now there. It's just gone. 4 AM while yes for an Florida they are up appointment on time so I'll open again but they you. But it ground today I mean. These people on extraordinary and what they're doing an amendment we know. The dive as takes it black six fouls on six dollars off that constantly. Going what the around the clock and laying odds at times. In the bottom of the cave where there is still waters of the divers can continue that Jenny down McKay emanated have to stop and come back. For more hat rules we're also hearing that these nations have been in Napa. 23 plus days trying to made up phone line Internet. Fiber optic cables that can reach all the way down inspect case of parents and can tool to decades. I mean I'm sit in this. In this act I'm for the moment and now people lying around sleeping well over the place and some of them off nominees because. They they have been keeping vigil it's around and they won't leave any. Not a day they will wait to hear from decades television sets up this to my left him with parents ten days that's what they wanna say they went through that kids on the TV and when it hit and they would have pulled to the about what was technicians that amendment tried today. That fiber optic cable but they've been hindered by the war to the war that has been damaging their equipment the last 23 day. And so we don't know when that's good when that's gonna happen but it lobbyists the special thing. If and when it does. All right James long in their lives in Thailand for area and there with those workers behind you still working tirelessly to get those kids. Thank you James and you've been talking about the water that water and now the concern of course the weather's so ABC meteorologists know Griffin. Has been taking a look at the forecast for today and tomorrow in Thailand had their bell. And GO we're watching this rain forecast very closely. Unfortunately this is the rainy season for the area and monsoon storms come very often. This Kate typically does fly during the monsoon season which usually last or about September or October. I want to see one of our global forecast models and the rain forecast that it is showing over the next ten days or so you can see there on the map some areas right near the location of the Kate. Could seat five inches of rain with locally higher amounts in the coming days. Scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon begin today and the rain is expected to become head here. And more widespread late this weekend after next week now the problem is CEO the board patty rains hire those water levels get inside indicate that there is really just becoming a race against all of this rain. Jia. All right so real concern there to know. Whether these rains will impact that he'd been. And create more water inactive for more water in the decade no thank you so much let's go to that you heat show right now she's also. Live in Thailand for us Judy you have been there on the ground. And one of the things that we're also seeing. Is how the community here is really coming together to help these kids to help those rescue hours. Insists it's an incredible collective effort you see thousands of police soldiers and rescue workers but also. A lot of volunteers helping out with the families and also is assisting the rescue workers as well. A few go to the camp. You see first of all right when you come out of the cave you see a medical tent with doctors and nurses. And and that's where James is standing right now and right behind James would be the family and relatives and then when you make of might turn. And there big Alley with all the food trucks and these foods coming from king of Thailand himself. And also from personal donations I talked to. Police officer yesterday who'd just donated with his personal money 8000 bonds for every one and then you also see masseuse offering my sides. At. Makeshift tents as well. I mean it's incredible to see how many people there are coming together and and it looks we're looking right now it images of you going through that sort of makeshift village makeshift village of sorts right there does. Judy. Yes it is it's very muddy hideaway. And also there's and the middle of it you see a press center world. Media journalists are have gathered together. What do you think that the Thai government did which was very helpful was to build up a cellular tower so that helps us. Media working around the clock to send video transfer. Video and also filer stories and also that would help with. Like the effort to line up via fiber optic Internet line that James just talked about. Are right Joo hee Cho joining us from Thailand thank you so much Julie. I want to go back to James long mineral quick. Because James we heard Mel Griffin there talking about those rains five to eight inches of rain coming your way our people concerned about them. Scott has got to be their main concern I mean to be honest here we've been quite lucky the last few days. The rain is held off we and which in monsoon season it should be raining pretty heavily and when we go ahead. Last Thursday we did have a couple of days of pretty heavy rain and an eased off and it was back easing off. Which is allowed rescuers to make the progress that they've made. And more rain would be a real issue it's depends how much meant it was a flash floods have caused those boys to get stuck in the first place. But we should be I should remind you that. You know even if more rain comes down this down that we were talking about willful. Not ready could make all the difference because it will stall lot runoff. Would these tapes itself sits underneath an enormous mountain range the basically sitting underneath. An enormous loss green mountain thinkable that moisture at lot warts are coming down through the mountains in today's case so yeah. She's monsoon could be massively problematic amount is the thing that that thinking about you know do they knew these kids. Before the rain hits. United possibly. When his children aren't quite ready to come because they may not be fit enough or did they leave the means that she wait for them to get fit risk you run the risk of having more back pay flooded. The united bouts bouts bouts the issue that they grappling with the amendment there are no good options that is the least problems and. Have to choose one. All right James long and thank you so much a credible reporting there on the ground in Thailand we of course. We'll check in with you tomorrow and in the days to come doctor Jennifer Ashton joining us here in studio chief medical correspondent here and ABC. Doctor Jan when you look at those images when you hear those details. What concerns you the most about what these kids a code. Well I mean the first job of the medical teams on the ground geo is tuned to ascertain what the condition of those children and their coaches and and there have been medics doctors and nurses. I'm that we've heard it reported got to them in a cave. Provided some kind of basic medical assessment gave them some nutrition and hydration. We got some images of basic wound care going on a lot of these kids if you remember back as this story has unfolded. He went the engines of that cave in use their soccer cleats. Outside news a lot of them apparently went in airplane now when you have that terrain which we just saw James tell us about it and show us. And witness that it really stacks the deck for skin breakdown that could be blisters that could be minor cuts lacerations scrapes. And those are portals of entry for bacteria and therefore infections so. That's gotta be probably. One of the top concerns. Medically. The B six hydration and nutrition and we have to make sure that even though those children are sedentary right now they're in what we call hike had a ball XT. So there's. Hunt at the trying to land. Pumping through their their system we've heard the fight or flight response and that causes a lot of muscle breakdowns that we need to keep their nutrition up. He need to be given very. Fat and pro team dense high carbohydrate meals that are easy to digest. And we have to remember also that these six. There's no outhouse or latrine in there so they're trapped in this speed. There's going to be human ways that they're gonna have to try to deal with and stay a week from because obviously that can lead to infection as well so those are really the basics. Their hydration they're nutrition. Any infection and of course their psychological state which. Have to be first and foremost this is a frightening. And incredibly stressful situation for those children and their coach and an water to. Prevent any subsequent deterioration. That really needs to be stabilized. And so I can I I can guarantee that there is ongoing psychological and emotional support as well as the physicals. Mobile and and that's what's interesting because when you look at the images of that mean in in some of these images there smiling so so we don't know if they're physically hurt you know that they're probably weak right but we don't know if they're physically hurt right now but even if they come out of there with no physical injuries. We're talking about a lot of work that they have to do. For their mind. For sure and we've seen that with. Chilean miners were trapped that story we we've seen that. With prisoners of war so this is a very specialized area where there will be trained mental health professionals working with these children and that coach. When hopefully they get out. Because it will not end without first embrace into their parents arms obviously. You know eleven years old is. Very young a lot of children can you know sleep a full night by themselves at the age of eleven let alone in the dark cave. Remove from their parents. So so psychologically developmentally emotionally that's a major area of concern and we also have to remember that to get those children out of there. In medicine we always assess the situation and then we get our ducks in a road to prepare for what may happen and so. We have to remember that if they panic. If they. SE. And and we've also been seeing I don't know if we have that live picture right now. From Thailand. But we've been seeing those workers out there there there are there of the workers' right outside decade. For a end there in Thailand right now. Jim what do you think. The medical professionals they are all on the ground right now or do. Well I think what. It's not just the medical professionals GO it's also these people who were working and helping there. You know 4 o'clock in the morning people cannot and do not and should not work around the clock even in crisis emergency situations like that. We don't do that a hospital setting I'm sure they're taking ships and rests and breaks. They have to do that because they have to stay mentally as well as physically sharp so. Not just the medical teams there who are probably just in a state of watchful waiting. But all of these workers they're working in shifts. Date you can't send divers into that area you know on 24 hours with no sleep that would add. To be victim count and we have it we have been seeing an emergency medicine scenes safe. You don't go into a scene if it's not safe because the last thing you want to do is take this situation from thirteen victims or patients. 214 or 240s so. That's really Paramount pound you know we're seeing so many people working here believed to remember that their safety is just as much of a concern so. I'm sure with such a heavy military direction. And oversight that that is being you know considered strongly. And you were telling me that you're certified. Rescue dive team who are certified and stuff but even with this when you look at. What they face range that you wouldn't be able to. Oh absolutely not so I have four paddy scuba certification one of them is as a rescue diver we remember that's recreational. That's something I did just for fun that the divers who are going in there that ties seals feed the foreign military seals they do this. As a matter of fact from life and death reasons all the time to completely different set of died skills. And it's it completely different technical and logistical situation that they are dealing with. But just from a Q were scuba standpoint. These this situation this is not you know scuba diving in a hotel pool or diving in the Caribbean where you live. You know fifty or a hundred feet of visibility in a lot of cases this mighty dark water where you might not even be able to see in front of your feet. With a light source. So one of the first things we heard two days ago and you can see and that image and holding a line. The it dropped safety line from the entrance of decayed to Wear those children are trapped. And divers can literally pull themselves against that line that is massively important. And then we heard that they're dropping tanks along the way. That's something that's done in various types of died situations so that. When when your tank is empty even if you have what's called pony tank on you which is a small emergency tank. They'll be another tank close by and they're probably also thinking about dropping surface air hose TO which. Exactly what it sounds like it's an air hose that. Runs the surface of the water that if someone gets into trouble they can get one of their respirators two in an emergency but. You know this looks like rent asleep challenging dives each. Yeah in the case do you mean it looks straight out of the move re exactly ducked and stick around because we're gonna turn out to any track your she's a professor of geo sciences over its give more college she's joining us live right now professor for happier what would you look at this video when you. Look at the terrain they're dealing with what's going through your mind. IKEA I'm. Really incredible that they eat it there and I'm and their coach. It really got involved in over their head. Written quite literally in the eighth I'm sure it didn't cross their mind when it went that they. An and I think that. Nick in their personal Juan. Anyone I think that's right knee in that's what we're hearing from. The doctor now just the challenging situation that the rescuer met about getting it out I'm not one of them. I'm eager sports that you can really do. And it combines targeting years of diving leaders is their sport that you know your inning. There is seriously. You've got yelled you're well on similarly eating another one of those. Activity that you in eight yet but you are skilled in your care about the rest okay but when you Judy other. I'm being underwater now he'll at least air to air. Being in the dark an egg and replaced them. That helped it you've got to clear water situation where there's an adamant that this in asking. There's Kennedy sentiment that easily he clearly got turbulent water flood waters in particular often pretty money. And that it Billy Kennedy terrible really challenging and that the he that the current deal still hurts them urging. Things. Adding that the line to help people get and where he added actually it that makes a huge difference. Logistically we're getting back and or but it's not enough but yet they. A lot of them swim. I'm air leaks from having been indicated and I'm adding that but complexity of the dive underwater. What do that there really tough when it and see why there aren't pouring everything and into trying to reduce water level the that the mobile they. Get out on and slowdown in and greet your whole. And professor I am sure you heard of the oncoming hurdles the the weather that's coming their way five to eight inches of rain we were told by our meteorologist know Griffin. Does that concern you when you hear that. I'll absolutely there's there's shortly don't mind here where. Conditions are making it more possible to get this press he's done. In an unseen fees and it's not rainy every day there are times when it's sweater and look at last let and so. There's a short period here for the next round of heavy rains come through. Where. You hopefully making it the water level down of war more water comes in and make that rescued them much more challenging. All right professor Amy for appear there from us get more polished thank you so much for joining us let's go back to Judy show in Thailand right now and Julia I wonder. What are the parents of these kids doing right now. I mean they must just beat the so frightened. This unfortunately we weren't able to talk to the parents because the authorities had been keeping the media separate and away from the family and their relatives but we are right inspire their tents so there are keeping an eye on the television for and also for any new news coming out. I want to tell you. That they that I found in Thailand is in this country is. Foot people who are very peaceful and calm that's their characteristic this is predominantly Buddhist. So you see you don't see that much emotion among the parents which you would see in other countries like my country in Korea. But it there'd there'd. Anything they're keeping their full poise and in trying to wish for the best. For now. So not. And we I wish we were able to talk to the parents and you can just imagine what's going through their minds. But we haven't been able to. All right Judy Cho thank you so much for joining us doctor Jennifer Ashton still with us here claustrophobia. Who. Really that's a big issue GO and there are some estimates that about 30% of people suffer from claustrophobia on one of them. Different situations. Condensate different types of claustrophobia some people it's a very small places some people it's. Not being able to see the sky some people as having something on their fees. So that may be an issue for for these boys and even by the way for some of the workers. Who are over China to help you know they might find themselves in situations. That are psychologically and emotionally and physically challenging and threatening to them as well. So I think that's an issue yet I think that we can notice from the footage geo is we see the boys with those mylar wraps the kind of things that are often given out at the finish line to marathon. That's significant because that tells us that the medics who had been down there in the divers. Are concerned about. Their temperature regulation I mean it doesn't necessarily matter as much with the ambient temperature is as when someone is wet they tend to lose heat quickly so these are late. Insulated mylar wraps that you know won't won't be kind of too heavy around the boys. But can help protect their body heat and keep that stable so that's just another. You know this is the basics in terms of medical triage their body temperature their nutrition their hydration any injuries any medication that they may need. You know going forward and and the risk of any president infection and future infection. But you know when you look at this situation that the act footage from the divers is really jaw dropping to look at as when you imagine bringing. Healthy people out through there that's one thing I think what the medical team is. Probably thinking about it are the what ifs what if one of the children were to get really debilitated and not be able to get out so that that's on the mind of the work as I'm sure. I mean they're incredibly young kids now and right now there's just no telling when they able that doctor Jennifer ashen thank you so much for oysters here in the studio and thank you for joining us here. On ABC news live for the special edition. Rescue in Thailand of course much more tonight on world news tonight and tomorrow morning on Good Morning America and right now on abcnews.com. And of course on that ABC news thanks for joining us on Q when he does. Here at the ABC news headquarters in New York have a good.

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