• Source:JND
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Telangana Tunnel Collapse: Efforts to save the eight workers trapped 200 metres behind debris in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district were hindered after the rescue teams which tried to go inside the collapsed portion were faced with knee deep water and mud. As per officials, about three metres of the tunnel’s roof collapsed near the Srisailam reservoir on Saturday morning while workers were carrying out their daily tasks. The Indian Army is also present at the site with its Engineer Task Force (ETF) deployed to assist with the rescue operations.

Telangana Tunnel Collapse: Latest Updates

-Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called and spoke to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday morning to enquire about the ongoing rescue operations at the SLBC tunnel. In the nearly 20 minute call, CM Reddy illustrated the urgency with which the government responded on getting the news, rushing Minister Uttam Reddy to the spot, and deployment of the NRDF and SRDF rescue squads, according to a statement released by the CM's office.

-Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren also urged Telangana CM to ensure all possible assistance for the rescue of workers who are trapped in a tunnel after a section of it collapsed.

-Rescuers said that there is a 200-metre patch filled with debris. Until this debris is cleaned, they will not be able to find out the exact location of the trapped workers and rescue them. "Water is filled in the patch between 11-13 km of the tunnel, and until water is removed, debris cleaning work will not start," NDRF Deputy Commander Sukhendu said.

-Telangana minister Uttam Kumar Reddy's office shared the updates on the rescue operations currently ongoing in the SLBC tunnel.

-The officials shouted the names of Manoj, Srinivas, Dwivedi, some of the workers who are feared trapped. The video also showed some water flowing in the tunnel, which the rescue officials are trying to drain out too.

-According to the Telangana minister, around 70-80 people were working during the incident, and atleast eight people are feared trapped on the other side. He also informed that there is no hindrance to the oxygen supply to the trapped workers as the ventilation system inside the tunnel remains functional.

-The rescue teams which tried to go inside the collapsed portion of the tunnel while inspecting the site had to come back because they couldn’t go further in. One of the rescue personnel of the State Disaster Response Force told news agency ANI, “There's no chance to go to the spot inside the tunnel. It has completely collapsed and mud is reaching up to the knees. We will have to take another step.”

-The Indian Army also joined the rescue operations at the collapse site. Its Engineer Task Force (ETF) was deployed to assist with the rescue ops, reported ANI. The Indian Army’s Engineer Regiment came along with an excavator dozer and was put on standby to help with the rescue ops, said the army.

-Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the incident and detailed the state government’s ongoing efforts to rescue the trapped workers. PM Modi also assured him that the Centre will assist with any necessary help.

-On Saturday night, Revanth Reddy also reviewed and inquired the state ministers about the ongoing situation at the SLBC tunnel collapse site. Hand said that the state government will stand with those affected by the collapse.

-According to Congress MP from Nagarkurnool, Mallu Ravi, the workers at the tunnel site were working with a tunnel boring machine from the USA and some foreign engineers were also present at the site. After the collapse, mud and water gushed in and blocked the other site of the tunnel, he told news agency PTI.

-On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi posted about the incident on his social media handle X. He wrote, “Deeply distressed to learn about the tunnel roof collapse in Telangana. My thoughts are with those trapped inside and their families at this difficult time. I have been informed that rescue operations are underway, and the state government along with disaster relief teams are doing everything possible to expeditiously bring back those in danger."

(With Agency Inputs)