The rescue operation for eight workers trapped inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel after its collapse on Saturday has stretched into its fifth day, with challenges mounting for the rescue teams. Despite no direct contact with the workers, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has reached the last accessible section of the collapsed roof.
Latest Developments in the Telangana Tunnel Rescue:
- Difficult Terrain: Navigating through the final 40-50 meters of debris remains a struggle due to water, silt, and rubble blocking the path.
- Thermocol Boats Deployed: Rescue teams have employed thermocol boats to traverse the submerged tunnel, but the survival chances of the trapped workers remain uncertain.
- Family’s Agonizing Wait: Sunny Singh’s family in Jammu and Kashmir anxiously awaits updates, with his younger brother Rajesh Singh expressing concern over the lack of communication since the collapse.
- Complex Rescue Operation: Telangana minister Uttam Kumar Reddy described the rescue as one of the most challenging due to the tunnel’s single entry-exit point and suspected geological instability. Experts believe a minor tectonic shift may have triggered the collapse.
- Rescuers Face Risks: Authorities are assessing the safety of rescue teams due to the high-speed flow of silt and water, which could endanger those involved in the operation.
- Political Row: Opposition parties, including BRS, have criticized the Congress-led state government, while Reddy condemned the political mudslinging over the tragedy.
- Expert Assistance: Specialists from the Geological Survey of India and the National Geographical Research Institute have joined the operation. Additionally, rat miners, who successfully rescued trapped workers in Uttarakhand’s Silkyara tunnel in 2023, have been brought in to aid efforts.
The trapped workers have been identified as Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas from Uttar Pradesh, Sunny Singh from Jammu & Kashmir, Gurpreet Singh from Punjab, and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu, and Anuj Sahu from Jharkhand. Among them are engineers, machine operators, and laborers.
