SLBC mishap: Rescue teams reach last point of tunnel, find no sign of life

Mystery shrouds the fate of eight missing workers and engineers even as rescue teams, which includes some 130 members from NDRF, take stock of the situation

Hyderabad: After five days of relentless effort, rescue teams have finally gained full access to the accident site within the SLBC tunnel project. The tunnel’s end area presents precarious conditions, with more than six metres of the 9.2-metre radius tunnel covered in rubble and boulders.

The rescue teams, which included some 130 members from the NDRF, reached the last point of the tunnel, taking stock of the situation.

---

They studied the ground conditions to prepare themselves for the task ahead of them. But there was no sign of life anywhere inside the tunnel. Mystery shrouded the fate of the eight missing workers and engineers.

The impact of the roof collapse extended up to some 100 metres. The roof soil in the affected block continues to pose a threat of further collapse despite some signs of partial stabilisation. The ground conditions are a little drier compared to what they were a day before, when the rat miners succeeded in making their way up to the last point.

The overall situation remains unpredictable, as the tunnel end is littered with massive boulders that rolled down during the landslide. Rescue operations require the use of heavy machinery to move the boulders, as human intervention alone is insufficient.

The machines are crucial in ensuring the safe removal of debris and accessing any individuals trapped within the tunnel. The debris removal that commenced on Thursday morning would continue non-stop in three shifts. The NDRF, SDRF, MARCOS, and Rathole Miners teams engaged themselves in making a passage to the tunnel end.

The mud piled up to a height of 15 feet in the place. The Tunnel Boring Machine’s front end was destroyed and pushed backwards as the roof collapsed. The machine, which was totally damaged in the impact of the roof collapse, is being dismantled with machine cutters obtained from the Railways in Secunderabad.

It takes rescue teams five hours to journey inside the tunnel and return. Consequently, 11 teams have been deployed, with select members entering the tunnel to assess conditions and return. They are currently deliberating on how to proceed, having discovered the tunnel is entirely blocked with mud and water. The team leaders are contemplating how to advance and rescue those trapped inside.

“We located the TBM. We cleared the rear section of the machine and shifted the surrounding mud and debris. We created a path for further entry. We checked under the TBM for any trapped individuals. The machine’s front end was completely damaged as the roof collapsed. Mud and water were constantly flowing from the collapsed area. We are also repairing the conveyor belt. The NDRF and SDRF teams are working alongside us,” said Muna Qureshi of the Rat Miners team.