India
Eight workers have been trapped for more than two days under debris and muck following the partial collapse of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district. As rescue efforts continue, the state government has deployed expert rat miners—who previously assisted in the Silkyara Bend-Barkot tunnel rescue—to aid in the complex operation. However, the chances of finding survivors remain grim.
Challenging rescue operation amid debris and waterlogging
Despite continuous efforts by the Indian Army, Navy, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and other agencies, no breakthrough has been achieved. The rescue teams are battling against thick layers of mud, tangled iron rods, and cement blocks obstructing access to the accident site.
Telangana Minister Jupally Krishna Rao acknowledged the dire situation, stating, “The chances of survival are very, very, very, very remote. When we shouted their names, there was no response.” He further questioned the availability of oxygen within the tunnel, emphasizing the difficulty of survival.
Expert rat miners brought in, rescue operations intensify
A team of 584 skilled personnel, including members of the Army, Navy, Singareni Collieries, and central and state disaster response teams, are working tirelessly. Gas cutters are being used to slice through metal rods, while sniffer dogs were deployed but could not proceed due to waterlogging inside the tunnel.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has urged officials to exhaust all possible measures to retrieve the trapped workers.
Identities of the trapped workers
The eight trapped individuals have been identified as:
- Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas (Uttar Pradesh)
- Sunny Singh (Jammu and Kashmir)
- Gurpreet Singh (Punjab)
- Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu, and Anuj Sahu (Jharkhand)
Among them, two are engineers, two are machine operators, and four are laborers.
Survivors recall the tragic collapse
Workers who escaped the collapse recounted the harrowing moments when water levels surged and soil started to loosen. Nirmal Sahu, one of the survivors, explained that while some managed to flee, eight workers were unable to escape. Another worker, Obi Sahu, confirmed that a few suffered minor injuries while running out.
As the rescue operation continues, hopes diminish, but efforts persist to bring closure to this devastating incident.
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