SLBC tunnel mishap: Rescue operations shift focus to spots identified by cadaver dogs

Roof collapse point, packed with landslip debris, remains untouched due to safety concerns

Hyderabad: The search for the six missing workers at the SLBC tunnel site has shifted focus back to the critical D1 and D2 spots identified by cadaver dogs and the NGRI team.

Excavators have been steadily removing rubble and debris near the two points as part of the effort to clear the debris totally from the final 50-metre stretch of the tunnel. The search around the previously opened up areas is continuing with hope of finding human remains.

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While considerable progress has been made in clearing the surroundings, the roof collapse point, packed with landslip debris, remains untouched due to safety concerns. Although the loose soil at the site has solidified, heavy water seepage is persisting. An estimated 3,521 litres of water was being pumped out of the tunnel per minute.

The site has been deemed highly vulnerable and has been barricaded to prevent access. As the rescue teams are working against the clock to clear the last stretch, the absence of any trace of the missing workers is adding to their worry.

The State government is yet to take a final decision on whether to open up the roof-collapse site or not. For now, the cave-in zone is considered perilous and remains closed.

With the mission entering its final phase, all eyes remain on the efforts of the rescue teams.