Two cadaver dogs from the Kerala Police, accompanied by their handlers, have been deployed to aid in the ongoing rescue efforts at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel collapse site in Telangana.
According to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the deployment was made in response to a request from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to the State Disaster Management Authority, as the search for the missing workers continues amid challenging conditions.
Meanwhile, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Commandant VVN Prasanna Kumar stated that the operation to locate the eight workers trapped inside the tunnel remains in full swing.
“Actually, the operation is going on in full swing. Approximately twelve agencies are working around the clock to find the victims. Unfortunately, we have not been able to locate them so far,” Kumar said.
The complexity of the tunnel operation has necessitated the involvement of top experts from across the country, with both the Telangana and Central governments ensuring all possible resources are deployed.
“Due to the complexity of the tunnel operation, we could not achieve success so far. However, maximum manpower is engaged in a planned manner, and hopefully, we will get success in a short time,” Kumar added.
Also read: T'gana: SLBC tunnel conveyor belt fixed, aiding rescue work
Approximately 300 personnel, including 100 NDRF members, as well as teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indian Army, and Singareni Collieries Company Limited, are actively involved in the rescue mission.
“The main hurdle for us is the TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine), which is a 1,500-ton machine that got damaged inside the tunnel, causing a major problem for us,” Kumar noted, underlining the operational difficulties being faced by the teams on site.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy visited the SLBC tunnel site on Sunday to review the progress of the rescue operation. Authorities continue to explore all possible measures to reach the trapped workers.
The rescue mission, now in its 13th day, was launched after the tunnel collapse on February 22, leaving eight workers stranded inside. Despite the continued efforts of various agencies, access to the trapped individuals remains a significant challenge.
Also read: SLBC tunnel rescue: No breakthrough yet as CM visits site
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