Day 6 | Rescue teams find debris completely plugged last 50 meters of Telangana SLBC tunnel
The Hindu
Rescue teams struggle to reach trapped persons in debris-filled Telangana SLBC tunnel, now focus is on removing the debris
HYDERABAD
The rescue teams taking part in the exercise to trace the eight persons trapped about 14 km inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana have succeeded in reaching the last 50 meters from the spot of collapse on Thursday. The eight people trapped includes two engineers, two technical staff and four workers.
However, they found that the tunnel was almost completely plugged with the debris such as soil, broken parts of the supporting system of the tunnel boring machine (TBM). There was not even a half-meter gap between the debris and the roof. Since the infrared cameras could not trace the trapped persons in the debris in the last 50 meters of the tunnel, the agencies have now shifted focus to removal of the debris.
Latest updates on rescue work at Telangana SLBC tunnel Day 6 (February 27, 2025)
According to the Irrigation department engineers, the rescue teams have captured the situation with their mobile phones and what was visible was terrifying, diminishing the chances of survival of the trapped persons since it was for about 125 hours (more than five days) since Saturday last morning they are left with no water and food. Even if it was assumed that they are getting some air through the cavities in the debris, the conditions inside with high humidity and pressure could make survival very difficult.
The work agency is continuously blowing fresh air into the tunnel as long as the air tube provided for the purpose is intact. Making the conveyor belt completely functional has also become imperative to bring out the debris after cutting the TBM parts into pieces with the help of gas cutters.
The rescue agencies with the help of other expert agencies are also examining whether it is safe to remove the debris to trace the trapped persons, or if it could lead to further collapse of the tunnel in the last 50 meters area as they are not aware of the cavities formed in the roof. The agencies such as Geological Survey of India (GSI) are providing expert support in case of the tunnel being excavated, the portion which is not lined or revetted with pre-fabricated reinforced cement-concrete slabs.
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