Uncertainty over survival of eight people trapped inside Telangana SLBC tunnel increases by hour

Rescue teams face challenges in reaching trapped individuals in Telangana’s Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel. Uncertainty grows over survival of eight people trapped inside.

Uncertainty over the safety and survival of the eight persons – two engineers, two technical staff and four workers – trapped 14 km inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel near Domalapenta in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana is increasing by the hour as it has been over the last 53 hours that their conditions remains unknown.

Despite all the hard work and round the clock efforts being put in, the joint rescue teams comprising personnel from multiple Central, State and other agencies are unable to cross the last 150 meters barriers due to new hardships coming in their way constantly. A few members were understood to have reached the tunnel boring machine (TBM) which is now covered with debris including mud after midnight.

They along with experts of the other agencies were assessing the situation and exploring the possibilities of removal of the debris on the TBM and whether its removal would lead to more mud/slush falling on it since the seepage of water from the roof has increased after the accident - in which the reinforced cement-concrete slabs came off from the roof.

Treading the last 150 meters is proving to be a herculean task as the muck piled up for 6 to 7 ft height on the tunnel floor. Further, the constant seepage of water and accumulation of muck and debris - including boulders - were stated to be making the task of rescue teams difficult.

Removal of debris and muck along with continuous dewatering has become necessary for the rescue team to make a further headway. Usually, it’s a conveyor belt that is used to bring out the material (soil mixed with stones) excavated by the TBM. It is being used as the ramp by the rescue teams’ personnel to go beyond the last point where the locomotive is operated.

On Monday (February 24, 2025) morning, even the run of the locomotive was limited to 9 km from the tunnel mouth due to accumulation of seepage water for the next couple of kilometres – between the two pumping facilities within the tunnel. Teams from L&T, IIT Madras and Uttarakhand, who handled the Silkyara tunnel collapse in 2023, are also at the site to take part in the rescue operation.

Along with experts from L&T and IIT Madras, special marine commandos from the Navy are participating in the operation with special equipment to trace those trapped inside.