Telangana SLBC tunnel tragedy: Full-scale operations continue amid fading hopes

Army, Navy, National Disaster Response Force, and State Disaster Response Force are tirelessly working to locate and rescue the workers trapped in the tunnel

Hyderabad: For the ninth consecutive day, combined teams from the Army, Navy, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are tirelessly working to locate and rescue the workers trapped in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel.

As conditions worsen due to continuous water seepage and mud accumulation, hopes of finding any survivors have totally dwindled.

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Despite pinpointing the location of the trapped workers, the rescue operation faces serious challenges. The affected section of the tunnel is filled with 15 feet of mud, making debris clearing extremely arduous. Continuous water seepage complicates the efforts further, with workers risking their lives to remove mud that persistently refills the tunnel.

The excavation works are being conducted at locations identified using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology by the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI). Four of the workers are believed to be trapped between two sections of the tunnel, while the remaining four are located approximately 15 to 20 feet beneath the front section. The government has expressed hope of retrieving four persons located about seven metres below the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) by Sunday evening. However, due to the formidable challenges faced by the rescue teams, uncertainty looms over the outcome.

NDRF officials have acknowledged that rescuing the other four workers may be impossible.

Eight ambulances are standing ready on-site, with post-mortems scheduled to be conducted at the district centre in Nagarkurnool before the bodies are sent to their respective hometowns. The families of the trapped workers anxiously await news, hoping to see the remains of their loved ones.

The rescue operation involves teams working in three shifts, with 120 members per shift. In total, 18 agencies, 54 officers, and 703 personnel are part of this tireless effort. Teams from NDRF, SDRF, Hydra, and Singareni Rescue continue to persevere in their mission.