Sat Feb 22 16:03:01 UTC 2025: ## Tunnel Collapse Traps Eight in Telangana; Rescue Efforts Underway
**Hyderabad, Telangana, February 22, 2025** – A section of the roof collapsed in a tunnel of the under-construction Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project in Nagarkurnool district, Telangana, trapping eight people, including two engineers and two technical staff, 14 kilometers inside. The incident occurred Saturday morning due to incessant water seepage.
Telangana’s Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy stated that the government is prioritizing the rescue operation, seeking assistance from the Indian Army’s tunnel experts and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Three NDRF teams from Hyderabad and Vijayawada have arrived at the site.
The NDRF assessment reveals a 10-meter-long roof collapse, with debris and water extending approximately 300 meters. Communication with those trapped remains unestablished. The teams noted an unstable roof and a significant earth fracture causing substantial water seepage. They estimate the total collapsed area could exceed 200 meters.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the collapse may be due to the crumbling of concrete segments used to control seepage. Opposition leader T. Harish Rao has called for an investigation by the National Dam Safety Authority. The rescue operation presents significant challenges due to the tunnel’s depth and the unstable conditions.
First Piper 