SLBC Tunnel Tragedy: Survival of trapped workers hanging by a thread

The tunnel roof collapse was caused by a sudden rush of water and loose soil, severely complicating rescue efforts. Despite the tireless efforts of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Indian Army, the survival prospects for the trapped workers seem grim.

Hyderabad: The clock is ticking nonstop as rescue personnel battle against time and nature to save the eight workers trapped in the collapsed stretch of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel. The incident, which occurred on February 22, has left the workers in the accident zone that remained cut off from the rest by a formidable barrier formed by debris and water-logging. With four days of operations drawing a blank, their survival seems to be hanging by a thread.

The tunnel roof collapse was triggered by a sudden surge of water and loose soil, making rescue operations highly difficult. Despite the relentless efforts of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Indian Army, the chances of survival for the trapped workers appear bleak.

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Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, after an on-ground inspection of the conditions, had stated that the chances of survival are “very remote”. Minister for Irrigation, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who also ventured into the tunnel, disclosed that the last stretch of the tunnel was filled with 12 to 13 feet of water. Another Minister, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, had prayed for their safety on Shivratri .

Ray of Hope

Amidst the grim outlook, a glimmer of hope shines through as a team of expert rat miners, who previously rescued workers from the Silkyara Bend-Barkot tunnel in Uttarakhand in 2023, have joined the rescue efforts. These specialists, known for their ability to navigate through narrow and hazardous spaces, bring a renewed sense of hope to the rescue mission. Despite the all-out efforts being made by almost a dozen agencies involved in the mission, the chances of survival for the trapped workers appear bleak.

The trapped workers, including two engineers, two technical staff, and four laborers, have been identified as Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas from Uttar Pradesh, Sunny Singh from Jammu and Kashmir, Gurpreet Singh from Punjab, and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu, and Anuj Sahu from Jharkhand. Their families, which reached the tunnels, are waiting anxiously, clinging to the hope that their loved ones will emerge alive from the depths of the tunnel.

The mangled tunnel boring machine that remained a main obstacle for the removal of debris is being dismantled by using gas cutters. The conveyor belt used for removing the debris and rubble had issues. Moves are afoot to address the conveyor belt issues.

Similarities with Uttarakhand tunnel incident

The SLBC tunnel collapse and the 2023 Uttarakhand incident shared several similarities. In both cases, the collapses were triggered by sudden surges of water and loose soil, creating formidable barriers of thick mud and debris. In both incidents, rescue operations involved multiple agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Indian Army.

The rescue teams in both incidents faced challenges due to the continuous flow of silt and water into the tunnels, making it difficult to reach the trapped workers. SLBC tunnel collapse, as hoped by the rescue agencies, would also end on a happy note as in the case of the Uttarakhand episode in 2023.