Rescue operation underway to trace workers trapped inside the partially collapsed Telangana's Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel, in Nagarkurnool, Telangana.
Credit: PTI Photo
Hyderabad: The search and rescue operation for eight workers trapped in Telangana's SLBC tunnel has returned to square one as excavations on Monday in areas where NGRI scientists detected "anomalies" two days ago using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) yielded only metal objects, not survivors. This has eliminated the guarantee that victims would definitely be in the eight areas identified by the radar survey.
Rescuers now believe a complete removal of debris, mud, and sediment from the collapse site may be the only way to locate the trapped workers which may have its own risk of triggering another tunnel collapse.
"The tunnel spans 14 kilometers. Debris has accumulated from the 13.3-kilometer mark to the accident site. GPR surveys identified four suspicious areas between 13.3 and 13.45 kilometers, which we designated as sections A, B, C, and D. We initiated excavations in three areas—one handled by rat hole miners and two by Singareni rescue teams. When they reached the target depth, they found only metal objects, not victims. This eliminates any certainty about finding survivors in the identified areas," said a member of the rescue team.
Locating the missing persons now appears to require removing all accumulated TBM metal parts, soil, mud, and debris. This process would necessitate first cutting away the TBM's rear section—currently obstructing rescue efforts—before clearing the sediment. The debris has piled three to six meters high throughout the tunnel, mixed with heavy TBM steel components and equipment, creating a formidable challenge for rescue teams.
On Monday, repair work on the conveyor belt system accelerated, with operations expected to begin Tuesday or Wednesday. The conveyor should significantly speed debris removal compared to the current method using locomotives, which requires at least three hours per trip.