- विज्ञापन -
Nagarkurnool: Rescue efforts for the workers trapped in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana continued on Sunday morning. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is making progress as they move deeper into the tunnel, where eight laborers are believed to be trapped. However, debris has obstructed the area, preventing the team from confirming their exact location, as stated by NDRF officials.
NDRF Deputy Commandant Sukhendu Datta reported that the team has traversed approximately 13.5 kilometers into the tunnel, primarily using locomotives and conveyor belts. Datta explained, “Yesterday around 10 PM, we entered to assess the situation. We traveled about 13.5 km in total—11 km by train and the remaining 2 km on foot and via conveyor belt.”
He added that the last 200 meters of the collapsed area is completely blocked, complicating efforts to ascertain the condition or precise location of the trapped workers. “We reached the end of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) and shouted to see if anyone would respond, but unfortunately, we received no reply due to a 200-meter section filled with debris. Until that debris is cleared, we cannot determine the victims’ exact location,” Datta noted.
The NDRF is currently focused on draining the accumulated water within the tunnel. “The section between 11 and 13 km is flooded, so we are working to remove the water. Once that is done, we will commence rescue operations,” the official stated.
Earlier today, both NDRF and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams faced significant challenges in accessing the collapsed section. An SDRF official remarked, “There’s no way to reach the spot inside the tunnel. It has completely collapsed, with mud reaching up to our knees. We will need to take further measures.”
On Saturday morning, a three-meter section of the roof of an under-construction segment of the SLBC tunnel collapsed at the 14 km mark near Domalapenta in Nagarkurnool district. This incident occurred just four days after construction work had resumed following a lengthy pause. While some workers managed to escape, eight remain trapped.
In addition to the NDRF and SDRF, an Engineer Regiment of the Indian Army, under the Infantry Division based in Secunderabad, is on standby with an Excavator Dozer to assist with rescue operations. Following a request from the Chief Secretary of Telangana, the Army swiftly mobilized its Engineer Task Force (ETF) for this critical mission. The ETF includes specialized engineering teams, a medical detachment from the Army Medical Corps, an ambulance equipped with three high-capacity pumping sets, armored hoses, and other vital equipment.
