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In a tragic development, all eight workers trapped inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana have been confirmed dead, according to Times Now sources. As the rescue operation stretches into its fifth day, teams are working to recover the bodies, with at least one or two expected to be retrieved by tonight or tomorrow.
Rescue Efforts Face Tough Challenges
A multi-agency operation involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Army’s Task Force, the Navy’s MARCOS, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and expert rat miners has been tirelessly working to locate and retrieve the trapped workers.
- Water has been pumped out of the tunnel, revealing 20 feet of mud slush at the 13.8 km mark and 6 feet of mud slush at the 13.4 km spot.
- The trapped workers are believed to have been swept further into the tunnel towards a dead end due to the collapse.
- Expert rat miners, who had played a key role in the Silkyara tunnel rescue in Uttarakhand (2023), were called in to assist with the operation.
One of the rescuers, Munna Qureshi, spoke about the difficulty of the mission. “Our team rescued 41 workers in Uttarkashi. Here, there is some difficulty, but we will solve the problem. It is a big mission,” he told ANI.
What Exactly Happened?
The disaster struck on Saturday when a section of the tunnel’s roof collapsed in an under-construction part of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal in Nagarkurnool district, Telangana.
- Around 50 workers had entered the tunnel as construction resumed.
- When they reached 13.5 km inside, the roof suddenly caved in.
- 42 workers managed to run towards the entrance and escape, while eight workers, including two engineers, were trapped ahead of the drilling machine.
- Some workers suffered minor injuries while escaping.
A worker, Obi Sahu, who is related to one of the deceased, Sandeep Sahu, described the chaos and desperation as they ran for their lives.
A Race Against Time Ends in Tragedy
Despite the relentless efforts of rescue teams, the harsh conditions inside the tunnel made survival nearly impossible for the trapped workers. The combination of mud slush, waterlogging, and structural instability created major hurdles for the operation.
As families of the deceased mourn their loss, questions are now being raised about safety lapses and whether this disaster could have been prevented. Investigations are expected to follow, but for now, the focus remains on retrieving the bodies and ensuring such tragedies do not happen again.
