Hyderabad: Intensive rescue operations are underway in Telangana Nagarkurnool district after a portion of an under-construction tunnel collapsed, trapping at least eight workers inside. Exclusive footage accessed by NDTV shows rescue workers navigating through the debris, calling out the names of the trapped individuals in an effort to establish contact.
The collapse occurred in a 44-km-long tunnel on the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) irrigation project, which supplies water to Nagarkurnool and Nalgonda districts. While several workers managed to escape, eight remain trapped near the tunnel boring machine. The construction is being carried out by Jaypee Associated Group.
Challenges in the Rescue Operation
The rescue teams face significant challenges due to debris mixed with water covering a stretch of 200-300 meters within the tunnel. Additionally, an earth fracture on the tunnel wall is causing water to gush out, further complicating the efforts. Reports indicate that shifting boulders at the collapse site make the roof structure unstable.
Efforts to Establish Communication
Rescuers have yet to establish direct contact with the trapped workers, as the internal communication system failed after the collapse. Efforts are now focused on manually calling out their names in hopes of receiving a response to confirm their well-being.
Deployment of Rescue Teams
At least four teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are en route to assist, while state emergency response teams are already on-site. A tunnel-boring machine is being brought in to accelerate the rescue process.
Government Response and Monitoring
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is closely monitoring the situation and held a high-level review meeting with Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar. Advisers Adityanath Das and Vem Narender Reddy were also present. The Chief Minister has directed officials to expedite the rescue mission and ensure that affected families receive necessary support.
Authorities remain on high alert, and round-the-clock efforts are being made to bring the trapped workers to safety.
