Tue Feb 25 06:12:26 UTC 2025: ## Hope Fades for Eight Trapped in Telangana Tunnel Collapse
**Hyderabad, February 25, 2025** – The fate of eight workers trapped deep inside a collapsing tunnel in Telangana hangs in the balance, with rescue efforts hampered by treacherous conditions 60 hours after the incident. Two engineers, two technicians, and four laborers remain missing since a section of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel near Domalapenta in Nagarkurnool district collapsed on Monday.
Despite the round-the-clock efforts of a combined team including the Army, Navy, NDRF, SDRF, NHIDCL, L&T, IIT Madras, and Uttarakhand specialists (who handled a similar incident in 2023), progress has been agonizingly slow. The teams are battling 6-7 feet of mud and slush, along with increasing water seepage, in the final 150 meters of the 14 km tunnel. A broken tunnel boring machine (TBM), partially buried under debris, presents a significant obstacle. While rescuers have reached the TBM, the location of the trapped workers remains unknown.
The increased water seepage and unstable conditions following the collapse of pre-fabricated cement-concrete slabs are further complicating the rescue mission. Officials from the Telangana Irrigation Department are assessing the feasibility of removing debris from the TBM, weighing the risks of further collapses. The conveyor belt originally used to remove excavated material is now serving as a makeshift ramp for rescuers. The removal of debris and dewatering are deemed crucial for further progress. The uncertainty surrounding the workers’ condition and the challenging conditions are fueling growing concern.
First Piper 