Telangana tunnel collapse : Rescuers are battling to pull out eight workers who are stuck inside a Telangana tunnel for over 72 hours, after a portion of the tunnel collapsed on February 22 in the southern state’s Nagarkurnool district. On Monday, Telangana minister Jupally Krishna Rao said the chances of survival of the trapped individuals are “very remote,” and rescuing them 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.
Rao also mentioned that a team of rat miners, who had rescued the construction workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand in 2023, has joined the rescue work.
“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 accident 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,” the minister stated.
“When we shouted their names also, there was no response…so, there (seems to be) no chance at all,” he added.
The persons who have been trapped in the collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project tunnel 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.
Of the eight, two are engineers, two operators and four labourers.
Telangana tunnel collapse : Food, water taken inside tunnel for rescue workers
Telangana tunnel collapse : Various teams are going inside the SLBC tunnel, where a rescue operation is underway.
Food and water are being taken inside the tunnel for the rescue workers.
Telangana tunnel collapse : Deputy CM reaches collapse site
Telangana tunnel collapse : Telangana deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, along with irrigation Mminister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, roads & buildings minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, and tourism minister Jupally Krishna Rao have reached the Srisailam Left Bank Canal in Nagarkurnool, according to The Hindu.