Hopes of survival for the eight individuals trapped inside a collapsed tunnel in Telangana are rapidly fading as rescue operations continue with renewed urgency.
Specialised machinery, including robotic and endoscopic cameras, have been deployed to cover the final 40 metres to reach those feared trapped.
Nagarkurnool District Collector B Santosh stated on Monday that two rescue teams from the Indian Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were employing advanced equipment to expedite the operation.
“We are sending a team now. We couldn’t reach the last 40 metres yesterday; now, with the help of a machine, we will reach that as well. Parallelly, dewatering is ongoing, and excavators will be sent inside,” Santosh said.
'Fading hope'
Despite intensified efforts, Telangana Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, who is overseeing the operation, admitted that the prospects of survival were bleak.
“I can’t predict the chances of survival, but the chances are not very good ... But even if there is the slightest chance, we will try to save them. There are eight people: four labourers, two company employees, and two international employees. We are not sparing any effort, and there is no lapse at all,” Krishna Rao stated.
A team of rat miners, renowned for their successful rescue of workers trapped in the Silkyara Bend-Barkot tunnel in Uttarakhand in 2023, has been brought in to assist in extracting the trapped individuals.
Meanwhile, seepage remains a persistent challenge, with the District Collector assuring that all necessary precautions are being taken to prevent further damage.
Hurdles in rescue operation
Achampet MLA Vamsi Krishna, who is monitoring the situation, informed that a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) would be cut open, and slush removed to facilitate access.
A micro-camera is being sent inside to pinpoint areas previously inaccessible due to debris and water accumulation.
Also read: Telangana tunnel collapse: NDRF advances, 8 still trapped
Larsen & Toubro (L&T), involved in the rescue efforts, has deployed an endoscopic camera to monitor the interior of the tunnel.
“We have done this during the rescue operation in Uttarakhand as well. Two teams have come. Endoscopic and robotic cameras have been brought,” an L&T operator maintained.
Collapse and immediate response
The incident occurred on Saturday at the 14-km inlet of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC), which runs from Srisailam to Devarakonda in Nagarkurnool district.
The collapse was triggered by a slipped concrete segment used for sealing seepage, trapping at least eight people, including engineers and labourers.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is personally overseeing the rescue efforts.
Teams from the Indian Army, Navy, NDRF, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are collaborating with local rescue personnel to navigate the challenging conditions inside the tunnel.
Complexity of the operation
According to an NDRF Deputy Commander, a team entered the tunnel at 10 pm on Saturday to assess the conditions.
They traversed 13 km using a locomotive and conveyor belt before encountering a 200-metre section blocked with debris at the TBM’s end.
Attempts to contact the trapped workers have so far been unsuccessful.
Additionally, waterlogging between the 11-13 km mark has further hindered debris clearance. The rescue hinges on successfully completing dewatering before proceeding with excavation.
“Our first team reached here around 7 pm on Saturday to rescue the trapped workers.
First, we need to complete the dewatering process and then remove the debris,” the NDRF official said, adding that the exact location of the trapped workers remains uncertain.
Also read: Eight trapped in tunnel mishap in T'gana, rescue efforts on
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