A section of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel near Domalapenta in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district collapsed on Saturday morning, trapping at least eight people inside.
The trapped individuals are from Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir. Rescue operations are underway with teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) working to save them.
Telangana Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, speaking from the accident site, said that the government has sought assistance from experts, including those who managed a similar rescue in Uttarakhand last year. The Indian Army and NDRF have also been called in for help.
Among those trapped are two engineers, two machine operators, and four workers. They are located about 14 km inside the tunnel, making the rescue operation difficult. The minister explained that the collapse was caused by water and soil slowly seeping in, which eventually intensified. The workers tried to escape, but those ahead of the tunnel boring machine were unable to get out in time.
“Our government is doing everything possible to save these eight individuals,” Reddy assured. When asked about the oxygen supply, he said that ventilation inside the tunnel is still adequate. A specialized 19-member rescue team from SCCL, including a senior officer, has arrived with equipment to assist in the operation. Medical teams and ambulances are also on standby.
The collapse happened within 30 minutes of work starting at 8 AM, according to JP Associates and Robin Company, the firms responsible for the tunnel boring. The SLBC tunnel project is designed to lift water from the Srisailam project to provide drinking water and irrigation to the old Nalgonda district.
The incident also disrupted the tunnel’s power supply, initially delaying rescue efforts. However, alternative power arrangements have been made to speed up the operation. The SLBC tunnel has a total length of 50.75 km.
Rescue teams continue working tirelessly to bring the trapped individuals to safety.
