National: A massive rescue operation is underway in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district to save eight workers trapped inside an under-construction tunnel of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC).
The incident occurred on Saturday morning when a three-meter section of the tunnel’s roof collapsed, trapping the workers from different states.
The trapped workers have been identified as Manoj Kumar and Srinivas from Uttar Pradesh, Sunny Singh from Jammu & Kashmir, Gurpreet Singh from Punjab, and Sandeep Sahu, Jataks, Santosh Sahu, and Anuj Sahu from Jharkhand. The group consists of two engineers, two operators, and four labourers.
Multiple agencies, including the Indian Army, Navy, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local rescue teams, are working together to rescue the trapped workers. Telangana ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Jupally Krishna Rao are personally overseeing the rescue efforts at the collapse site near Domalapenta.
The rescue operation is being hampered by debris and water accumulation inside the tunnel. NDRF teams are working to remove the debris and drain the water to improve access. The tunnel’s depth from ground level is around 500 feet, making the rescue operation even more challenging.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken with Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and assured full support and assistance for the rescue efforts. The state government is closely monitoring the situation, and the Indian Army’s Engineer Task Force has been deployed to assist in the rescue operation.