Tunnel Collapse in Telangana: Rescue Team Working Actively
Rescue Teams Are Working Based on Hope, Struggling to Save Some Workers Trapped in Telangana Tunnel Collapse.
Rescue teams are working round and clock to save eight workers trapped in the collapsed tunnel of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana. So far, there is no relief even after continuous efforts for more than 48 hours.
What Caused the Collapse?
The incident occurred on Saturday morning, when a three-meter section of the tunnel’s roof collapsed near Domalapenta, trapping the workers inside. The workers are engineers, machine operators, and laborers from Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Jharkhand.
The other reason that worsened the problem is that the collapse also displaced the tunnel boring machine, weighing several hundred tons, nearly 200 meters. Water and silt fill the tunnel, making it much harder for rescue teams to reach the workers.
Challenges Facing Rescuers:
The Indian Army, NDRF, SDRF, and local rescue teams face numerous hurdles including:
- Heavy debris obstructing the way
- Water accumulation in the tunnel
- Very little space for maneuvering
With the use of rubber tubes and planks of wood, rescue workers are traversing through the debris.
Minister Implies Survival Chances Are Very Slim:
The chances of the survival of the workers were conveyed to the media by Telangana Minister Jupally Krishna Rao as remote, saying it may take three or four days to bring them out, as the tunnel is full of debris and mud that hampers rescue operations.
“There was no answer when we called their names. Most of the way into the tunnel has almost become completely filled with mud,” he told us.
Advice from Rescue Teams:
AP reported that the authorities have called in expert “rat hole” miners from Uttarakhand. They were contacted last year to provide assistance in the Uttarkashi tunnel collapse. Their experience in traversing limited and confined spaces may prove helpful in reaching the trapped workers.
A naval team had already reached the scene but was yet to enter into the tunnel. IIT Chennai and L&T experts joined the rescue operations with push cameras and mine detection robots, which were to provide live up-to-date information from within the tunnel.
Inquiry and Safety Issues:
While the rescue efforts for the trapped workers started, the public fear loomed large concerning the safety of tunnel construction. Officials demanded the setting up of a committee to investigate the reasons for the collapse, with an assurance of changing things for the better in future construction.
As a whole, authorities maintain a sense of optimism; however, as time moves forward, the situation seems to worsen.
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