The rescue operations to save eight workers trapped inside the partially collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool entered its eighth day on Saturday. Rescuers are engaged in cutting down the tunnel boring machine (TBM) and removing debris to establish contact with trapped workers.
According to officials engaged in the rescue operations, rescue efforts are progressing on full swing and the dewatering process is continuing inside the tunnel. Teams comprising personnel from NDRF, Army, state-run miner Singareni Collieries, rat miners and other agencies are working continuously to establish communication with trapped workers, officials said.
#WATCH | Telangana SLBC tunnel collapse incident | Nagarkurnool: Telangana Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari and Telangana Ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Jupally Krishna Rao arrived at SLBC Tunnel and held a review meeting with rescue officials. pic.twitter.com/kY0yldcKje
— ANI (@ANI) March 1, 2025
Vaibhav Gaikwad, Nagarkurnool Superintendent of Police said, “The rescue operation is continuing and a team went inside the tunnel on Saturday. The process of dewatering and removing debris is also going on simultaneously,” PTI reported. Gaikwad added the tunnel boring machine is being cut to clear the path for rescuers. "Whatever obstacles are coming in between (to reach the spot where they can search for trapped persons), we have to remove them,” PTI reported quoting Gaikwad.
#WATCH | Telangana SLBC tunnel collapse incident | Nagarkurnool: Rescue operation continues for the eight workers who are still trapped inside the tunnel in Nagarkurnool after a portion of it collapsed on 22nd February. Sludge being transferred out of the tunnel to facilitate… pic.twitter.com/oRNJPjyHAu
— ANI (@ANI) March 1, 2025
Meanwhile, scientists from the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) studied the strength of the tunnel and found some "anomalies" inside the tunnel. However, experts are yet to identify what these anomalies are.
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Nagarkurnool District Collector Santhosh dismissed rumours of bodies being recovered from the accident site. “It has come to our notice that news of some bodies being found is spreading, which is not true; rescue operations are still going on,” ANI reported.
Eight persons working on the SLBC tunnel project got trapped after the roof under-construction tunnel partially collapsed on February 22. Kin of trapped workers present at the site said they are not allowed inside the tunnel and they are not provided any information regarding ongoing rescue operation. The trapped workers include two engineers, two operators and four labourers.
