Telangana Tunnel Collapse: Eight Workers Remain Trapped for 48 Hours, Rescue Ops Intensify

Nagarkurnool: Rescue teams continue their desperate efforts to save eight workers trapped inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana for over 40 hours. Despite intensified operations, including the deployment of robotic and endoscopic cameras, rescuers have yet to reach the stranded workers. NDRF Dog squad have also been deployed to assist in the operation

40 Hours On, Rescue Efforts Intensify for 8 Trapped Workers in Telangana Tunnel

The tunnel collapse, which occurred on February 22, has created significant challenges for rescue teams. A three-meter section of the roof collapsed at the 14-km mark near Domalapenta, just days after work resumed following a long break. While several workers managed to escape, eight remain trapped.  

Authorities have deployed the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and even a team of expert rat miners—who previously rescued workers from Uttarakhand’s Silkyara Bend-Barkot tunnel in 2023—to navigate the debris-filled site.  

Survival Chance ‘Very Remote’: Telangana Minister 

Telangana Minister Jupally Krishna Rao stated that the chances of survival in the tunnel are very low, but the government is making efforts to rescue all trapped workers. He said, "To be honest, the chances of their survival are very, very, very, very remote. Because, I myself went up to the end, almost just 50 meters short (of the mishap site). When we took photographs, the end (of the tunnel) was visible. And out of the 9 meter diameter (of the tunnel)--almost 30 feet, out of that 30 feet, mud has piled up up to 25 feet", he told news agency PTI. 

"Dewatering is being done. The Indian Army, along with NDRF and SDRF, is inside with additional equipment. Yesterday, they could not reach the last 40 meters, and now necessary measures are being taken," said Nagar Kurnool district collector B Santhosh.  

Difficult Rescue Operation 

Visuals from the site show rescue teams working in knee-deep mud as they attempt to clear a path. The collapsed portion has made access nearly impossible, forcing authorities to consider alternative approaches.  

"There’s no chance to reach the spot inside the tunnel. It has completely collapsed, and mud is knee-deep. We need an alternative approach," an SDRF official told reporters.  

In a bid to locate the missing workers, rescuers have been calling out their names, hoping for a response, as internal communication remains cut off.  

Special Equipment Deployed, Army in Action

A tunnel-boring machine is being brought in to accelerate rescue efforts. Additionally, an Engineer Regiment of the Indian Army’s Infantry Division in Secunderabad has deployed it’s  Excavator Dozer and medical teams to clear debris and facilitate safe evacuation of trapped persons from the collapsed tunnel. Responding to an urgent request from Telangana’s Chief Secretary, the Army quickly mobilized its Engineer Task Force (ETF), equipped with high-capacity pumping sets, armored hoses, and medical detachments.  

Trapped While Repairing a Leak

According to reports, the eight workers were inside the tunnel repairing a leak when the collapse occurred early on Saturday morning. Their fate remains unknown as efforts to make contact continue.  

With every passing hour, concerns grow for the trapped workers as rescue teams race against time to bring them out safely.