The SLBC tunnel collapse trapped eight workers, prompting intensive rescue efforts. Authorities have now deployed specialized Rat Hole Miners to aid in the operation.
HYDERABAD: The collapse of a section of the SriSailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel has left eight workers trapped inside. In response, the government has intensified rescue efforts, deploying the Navy, Army, and now a specialized team of Rat Hole Miners to assist in the operation.
A six-member team of Rat Hole Miners arrived in Hyderabad from Delhi and was set to reach the accident site soon. These miners were previously instrumental in the 2023 Uttarakhand Silkyara tunnel rescue, where 41 workers were successfully saved after being trapped for 17 days. Rat hole mining, a technique used in coal deposits where narrow vertical tunnels are dug to extract coal, is considered highly dangerous. However, these miners have now become vital in underground rescue operations.
Rescue Efforts Face Major Challenges
Authorities believe that to rescue the trapped workers, the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) must be completely cut through. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officials estimate that removing the debris could take nearly a month. The collapse occurred at the 14-kilometre mark inside the SLBC tunnel, with nearly 500 meters of the tunnel blocked by soil and concrete debris.
This blockage has severely impacted rescue operations. The tunnel was initially equipped with a railway track for worker and equipment movement, but the collapse has rendered the track unusable. The only feasible option now is to use the railway track to clear debris, but a two-kilometre stretch of the track is submerged in water and mud, making the process even more difficult. Electricity has not yet been restored at the accident site.
Severe Structural Damage to the Tunnel
Experts indicate that the entire weight of the debris has fallen on the TBM, causing extensive damage. They emphasize that without cutting through the TBM, it is impossible to clear the rubble. Given the complex conditions inside the tunnel, authorities estimate that rescue operations could take up to a month.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has reviewed the situation and is receiving updates from ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Jupally Krishna Rao, as well as NDRF officials. The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) has directed authorities to utilize all possible measures to rescue the trapped workers.
The administration is making continuous efforts to rescue the eight workers trapped inside the SLBC tunnel near Domalapenta in the Nagarkurnool district. Rescue operations have been ongoing non-stop since early Sunday morning. Teams have managed to reach the 13.5-kilometer mark near the collapse, with an estimated worker location between 13.5 and 14 kilometres.
Rescue personnel travelled by locomotive up to the 11-kilometre mark and then proceeded on foot. Experts are assessing multiple options, including drilling from the right, left, and top of the tunnel to access the trapped workers. Earth mounds are being removed, and high-power 1000 HP motors are being used to pump out water.
Massive Team Deployed for Rescue
Over 130 NDRF personnel, 24 Hydra operators, 24 Army personnel, 24 Singareni rescue team members, and 120 SDRF members are involved in the rescue mission. Despite obstacles such as debris, water, and mud, teams are advancing toward the collapse site. A 200-meter gap has been created at the point where the roof collapsed, and no response has been received when calling out to the trapped workers. Initial reports suggested some voices were heard until early Sunday morning, but there has been no sound from within the tunnel since then.
Ambulances and special medical teams have been stationed outside the tunnel in preparation for the rescue. Authorities are working to ensure the oxygen supply reaches the trapped workers. Family members of those inside are anxiously waiting and praying for their safe return.
Ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy, Jupally Krishna Rao, Hyderabad Commissioner Ranganath, Kurnool Collector Santosh, and Nagarkurnool SP Vaibhav Gaikwad are actively overseeing the rescue operations.
