Trapped in a cave, how long can humans live?

The incident of Thai teenage team and coaches stuck in the last ten days in Tham Luang cave is tending to go well. According to the BBC, the rescue team identified a group of young people and coaches residing in an air bag in the cave and approached the group.

The next thing is to get them out of the cave, but due to flooding conditions, this may take months. How long can humans survive when stuck in a cave?

The answer is depending on the characteristics and location of the cave. According to Andrea Rinaldi, a cave explorer who is also a biochemist at Cagliary University, Italy, research on how people adapt and live in cave environments, In general, the cave is not afraid of lack of oxygen, even after hundreds of meters below the ground, because the air follows cracks in the rock and lies in the pores of limestone. Only in rare cases can there be carbon dioxide in the air pockets in the cave that cause breathing difficulties.

The moment the team of Thai teenagers was found stuck in the cave.

Fortunately, the air bags that the youth team are staying in are not carbon dioxide. The airbags in the cave in Thailand are large and thus have enough oxygen to keep the group alive for a long time. However, the air quality there is a parameter that needs to be monitored by the rescue team from now on.

For example, if the cave is very dry, there may be more dust in the air. In some tropical caves, the breakdown of bats can release ammonia gas into the air and can release fungal spores that can cause problems if inhaled. Respiratory. In addition to such rare cases, the atmosphere in the cave completely healed.

Other basic needs are a matter of concern

Other essential needs for people are food and water , while teenagers only have very little food to bring before the rescue team can find a way to feed the group.

According to Mr. Rinaldi, a healthy person can live for weeks, even months without food, but drinking water is an important issue . In the cave often has high humidity, reducing the need to drink water, but people still need to have daily drinking water. In caves in Thailand, water may not be clear but contaminated with mud. Therefore, if the victims do not have water purification equipment, they should drink small water from the ceiling and walls of the cave, so it will be cleaner and safer than standing water. (By the time of July 4, 2018, the group was provided with food and water).

Temperature is also a problem affecting the health of the victims in the cave, but in the case of this teenager the team is not worrisome, because the tropical cave often has temperatures above 20 ⁰ C.

Psychological difficulties

In addition to physical health problems, people trapped in the cave also face psychological challenges . As in the case of the team, they must live in a dark cave deep in the ground for 10 days, almost nothing to eat, can be a terrible experience for anyone, including those who specialize in cave exploration. , but the first images of the group of teenagers who were rescued by the rescue team showed that they were very calm, very brave. And the fact that they are a cohesive team, when they are in distress, they can easily encourage each other which is also an important factor. After connecting with the rescue team, they also have the opportunity to communicate with their families, supporting their spirits while not escaping from the cave.

According to experts, it can take weeks, even months, to get them out of there. Rescue teams are considering one of two options, 1 waiting for them to recover and instructing them to dive through the flooded cave section (currently no one knows how to swim), or wait about 4 months until the water recedes.