Telangana Minister J Krishna Rao stated on Monday that the likelihood of survival for the eight individuals still trapped in the SLBC tunnel following a partial collapse two days prior is “very slim,” despite all efforts being made to rescue them.
He reported that a group of rat miners, who saved the construction workers trapped in the Silkyara Bend-Barkot tunnel in Uttarakhand in 2023, has joined the rescue teams to free the men.
The Minister also stated that the rescue operation would need a minimum of three to four days to reach its final phase, as the accident location is cluttered with mud and wreckage, posing a significant challenge for the rescuers.
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“Honestly, the likelihood of their survival is extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely slim.” Since I personally reached the very end, falling just about 50 meters short of the mishap location. When we snapped pictures, the exit (of the tunnel) was in view. “And from the 9-meter diameter of the tunnel—nearly 30 feet, of that 30 feet, mud has accumulated to 25 feet,” he stated.
“When we called out their names too, there was no response…so, there is absolutely no possibility,” he remarked.
Eight men trapped in tunnel for 48 hrs
In spite of continuous attempts by the Indian Army, NDRF, and other organizations, no progress has been made thus far in the rescue efforts to free the eight individuals who have been trapped for more than 48 hours inside the tunnel after part of it collapsed in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project located in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district on Saturday.
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The officials have incorporated endoscopic and robotic cameras at the tunnel location to enhance the rescue operations using cutting-edge technology. The NDRF dog unit has also been sent to aid in the operation.
Those trapped in the collapsed tunnel for the last 48 hours have been recognized as Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas from Uttar Pradesh, along with Sunny Singh (Jammu and Kashmir), Gurpreet Singh (Punjab), and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu, and Anuj Sahu, all hailing from Jharkhand.
