Telangana SLBC Tunnel Collapse: Rescue teams recover one body stuck in machine; retrieval efforts underway

Rescue teams recover body from collapsed SLBC Tunnel in Nagarkunool, as robotic technology accelerates ongoing operations.

Rescue teams working inside the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) Tunnel in Nagarkunool, which collapsed on February 22, trapping eight workers, have recovered one body from the debris, officials said on Sunday (March 9, 2025).

The rescue agencies involved in tracing the workers under the debris 14 km inside were expecting to achieve some breakthrough on the 16th day of the operation on Sunday (March 9, 2025), with one body located under the debris on Saturday (March 8, 2025) night.

The Kerala cadaver dog squad have been roped in to assist in the rescue efforts have found human remains inside the tunnel.

According to rescue officials, the deceased was found trapped in a machine inside the collapsed section of the tunnel.

“We found one dead body stuck in the machine, with only the hand visible. The rescue teams are currently cutting the machine to retrieve the stuck body,” said the official.

On Saturday (March 9, 2025), Telangana Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies Uttam Kumar Reddy announced that robotic technology had been deployed to accelerate the ongoing rescue operations at the SLBC tunnel near Domalapenta in the Nagarkurnool district, where eight workers remain trapped.

Calling the incident a national disaster, he emphasised that the State government is utilizing the best global technology to overcome the challenges in the final stretch of the 14-kilometre-long tunnel.