Telangana Tunnel Rescue: State Govt Seeks Experts Advice As Rescue Ops Underway To Save Trapped Workers

On Saturday around 8:30am, a portion of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel collapsed near Domalpenta in Nagarkurnool district.

On Sunday night, the tunnel had filled with water but was later drained out. Rescue teams are working to remove the slush to try and reach the workers. They said they were having difficulty reaching the site due to thick mud and water.

A team of rat miners, who had rescued the construction workers trapped in the Silkyara Bend-Barkot tunnel in Uttarakhand in 2023, has joined the rescue teams to extricate the men.

The trapped workers include two engineers, two technical staff, and four labourers. Around 13 workers sustained injuries due to the collapse but were able to come out of the tunnel with the help of 29 other workers who managed to escape unhurt.

The persons who have been trapped in the collapsed tunnel for the past over 48 hours have been identified as Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas from Uttar Pradesh, Sunny Singh (Jammu and Kashmir), Gurpreet Singh (Punjab) and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu and Anuj Sahu, all from Jharkhand, Telanga Minister Jupally Krishna Rao said on Monday.

Telangana Minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Monday stated that rescuing the trapped individuals would take at least three to four days, as the accident site is filled with muck and debris, making it a daunting task for the rescuers.

"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 PTI.

"When we shouted their names also, there was no response...so, there is no chance at all," he said.

Krishna Rao said the process of clearing the debris is underway with several machinery in place.

According to him, the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) which weighs a few hundred tons, got almost flushed away by about 200 meters after the collapse and due to the gushing water.

"Even, even assuming they (the trapped persons) are in the lower part of the TBM machine, assuming even if it is intact on the top, where is the air (oxygen)? Underneath, how the oxygen will go," he asked though pumping of oxygen and dewatering have been continuously done.

"For removing all the debris and all that, in spite of all types of efforts, all types of organizations (working), it takes, I think it takes not less than 3-4 days (to extricate the people)," Rao, who had overseen the rescue operations along with Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, said.

Rao said the conveyor belt was being restored at the tunnel to clear the debris.

(Source: PTI)

The Rescue teams tasked with saving eight individuals trapped in a tunnel after a section of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal project collapsed in Nagarkurnool district were forced to return late Monday evening.

Despite relentless efforts by the Indian Army, Navy, NDRF, and other agencies, no breakthrough has been achieved so far in the rescue operations, as the teams had to navigate through thick muck, tangled iron rods, and cement blocks to reach the accident spot in the tunnel.

(Source: PTI)

The Telangana government has roped in experts from GSI and NGRI to suggest the way forward regarding the rescue of eight persons trapped in Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel after a part of it collapsed on Saturday.

As the eight remain trapped for the fourth day, experts from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and National Geographical Research Institute (NGRI) have been included in the rescue efforts, an official said on Tuesday.

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Nagarkurnool District Collector B Santhosh on Tuesday said before taking any step forward stability of the tunnel has been taken into consideration even as dewatering is going on.

(Source: PTI)

Rescue teams successfully located individuals trapped in the collapsed section of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel by tracking phone signals.

According to Telangana Roads and Building Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, the ringing of a mobile phone belonging to one of the trapped officers proved crucial in pinpointing their location, reported The Indian Express.

According to The Indian Express, Nagar Kurnool District SP, Vaibhav Gaikwad told that no contact could be established with the eight men trapped inside.

"As of now, the rescue teams are trying to clear the path for the locomotive to reach the spot of the mishap. There are challenges in operating heavy machines to clear the mud at that place although a bulldozer has been pressed into service there. Dewatering is going on continuously. They are removing whatever debris they can. Removing parts of the twisted and mangled tunnel boring machine is proving to be a challenging task," Gaikwad stated.

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Citing Officials, The Hindu reported that the family members of four Jharkhand laborers trapped in a tunnel collapse in Telangana departed for the southern state on Monday, February 24, 2025.

Telangana Deputy Chief Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, along with irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, and Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, visited the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBS) in Nagarkurnool to oversee the rescue operations, The Hindu confirmed.

As there is a continuous flow of silt and water in the partially collapsed SLBC tunnel where eight people have been trapped for over three days, experts warned that the lives of the rescue teams could also be in danger if they attempt to venture inside, Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said on Tuesday.

"There is one problem. The flow of slit and water into the tunnel at a very high speed continues. So there was one opinion expressed by some experts that the people going into the rescue, even their lives could be endangered. So, we are a responsible government, we are taking the best expert opinion, and we will take a final call on that (on how to go about it)," he said, as quoted by PTI.