Hyderabad: Footage captured within the tunnel in Telangana, where a roof collapse occurred during construction, revealed debris obstructing the passage, leaving minimal space to navigate around the blockage. The video depicted a rescuer illuminating the collapsed area with a flashlight while calling out the names of several individuals trapped inside. “Manoj, Sriniwas, Dwivedi,” the rescuer called out loudly.
“We cannot proceed further, sir. The ring appears intact up to that point,” he remarked, directing the flashlight towards the circular support structure of the tunnel, referred to as the “ring.”
“I can see the ring much further down. I can also hear some voices,” he continued.
The roof collapse in the Nagarkurnool district of Telangana occurred over 30 hours ago. Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the army, and the Singareni Collieries Co Ltd (SCCL) have been engaged in efforts to save those trapped.
Officials indicated that rescue personnel are currently positioned 200 meters from the site of the collapse that took place on Saturday. The presence of water and silt within the tunnel is complicating the rescue efforts, they noted.
Electricity has been restored to the tunnel, and officials confirmed that oxygen is being supplied to the individuals trapped inside.
Telangana Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy visited the site of the incident to assess the situation and informed the media that the tunnel has been under construction for the past two decades. This 44-kilometer tunnel, upon completion, is expected to provide water to approximately four lakh acres, as stated by Mr. Reddy.
He explained that a minor leak escalated into a significant breach on the tunnel’s side, resulting in an influx of water and mud that flooded the tunnel. “We are working tirelessly and have requested assistance from the army and navy for divers, as well as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF),” Mr. Reddy conveyed to media.
Two workers sustained injuries when a section of the tunnel’s roof, part of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project, collapsed. At the time of the incident, seventy individuals were present inside the tunnel, and the roof gave way over a three-meter span at the 14-kilometer mark.
While most workers managed to escape, eight individuals remain trapped, including two engineers and two machine operators.
The NDRF team, which advanced up to 11 kilometers, encountered water and mud beyond that point. The rescue personnel proceeded an additional 2.5 kilometers to reach the affected area.
Nagarkurnool district Collector Badavath Santosh reported that efforts are underway to remove water and silt to facilitate the rescue team’s progress. Heavy equipment could not be brought close to the site of the collapse due to the presence of water and silt.
The trapped workers hail from Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir.
Ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Jupally Krishna Reddy convened a meeting with officials from the NDRF, the army, and other involved agencies.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed his dismay regarding the tunnel incident and assured that the government would provide all necessary assistance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also reached out to Mr. Reddy on Saturday to inquire about the situation and pledged full support from the central government.
