Rescue teams take up debris removal in last 50-metre stretch of SLBC tunnel
The Hindu
Rescue teams work to remove debris in Srisailam tunnel to reach trapped persons, facing challenges for survival.
HYDERABAD
The rescue teams taking part in the exercise to trace the eight persons including two each of engineers and technical staff and four workers trapped about 14 km inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana have, at last, succeeded in reaching the last 50 metres from the spot of collapse on Thursday and commenced muck removal work.
However, they found the tunnel completely plugged with debris such as soil, small boulders, and broken parts of the supporting system of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) as there was no gap left between the debris and the tunnel roof. The agencies have now shifted focus to the removal of the debris as the infrared cameras could not trace the trapped persons in the debris in the last 50 metres of the tunnel.
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According to the Irrigation department engineers, the rescue teams have captured the condition with their mobile phones and what was visible was terrifying, diminishing the chances of survival of the trapped persons since it was for about 130 hours (more than five days/till Thursday 8 p.m.) since Saturday last morning that they are left with no water and food. Even if it is assumed that they are getting some air through the cavities in the debris, the conditions inside with high humidity and pressure could make survival very difficult.
The work agency is continuously blowing fresh air into the tunnel as long as the air tube provided for the purpose is intact. Making the conveyor belt functional completely has also become imperative to bring out the debris after cutting the TBM parts into pieces with the help of gas cutters. The agencies have taken to debris removal by filling it in small trolleys attached to the locomotive.
The rescue agencies with the help of other expert agencies are also examining whether it is safe to remove the debris towards the first 15-20 metres to trace the trapped persons or if it could lead to further collapse of the tunnel as they are not aware if the fresh cavities are formed in the roof.
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