Hyderabad: The ongoing rescue operation at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district has become more challenging due to heavy seepage of water and mud, making it difficult to reach the eight trapped workers since the morning of February 22.
Rescue teams, including the NDRF, Navy, and Army, are struggling to navigate through a thick 11-foot wall of slush, which has zero visibility and dangerous debris like twisted metal and concrete chunks. “There is currently no technology available to penetrate this mix of mud and water,” said NDRF Commandant Prasanna Kumar.
Officials noted that loose natural rock formations caused a sudden water and mud inflow, filling 12-13 feet of the tunnel. With the terrain restricting the use of heavy machinery, removing the slush may take days. Efforts to drill from above have been ruled out as the surface is 400 meters high.
The eight trapped individuals include engineers and construction workers from Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. Concerns over their safety are rising as over 60 hours have passed with no contact. Experts nationwide are being consulted for solutions.
