Tue Feb 25 11:04:25 UTC 2025: ## Telangana Tunnel Collapse: Rescue Efforts Hampered by Mud and Debris
**Hyderabad, February 25, 2025** – Rescue efforts to reach eight individuals trapped 14 kilometers inside a collapsed tunnel in Telangana’s Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) are facing major challenges due to an increasing amount of mud and debris. More than 80 hours after the Saturday morning collapse, the workers remain unaccounted for.
A review meeting involving state ministers and disaster management officials concluded that attempting to breach the final 50-meter barrier, filled with slush from a collapsed tunnel boring machine (TBM), poses an unacceptable risk to rescuers. Even Navy divers from the Marcos unit have found the slush, estimated to be over 70% of the mixture, too thick to penetrate with their equipment. The increasing volume of slush is attributed to the formation of new cavities at the collapse site, leading to a higher water seepage rate.
The focus has shifted to removing the slush and dewatering the tunnel to create a safer path for rescue teams. However, officials acknowledge that the chances of survival for the trapped individuals—two engineers, two technicians, and four workers—are diminishing with each passing hour. The existing conveyor belt used by rescue teams is also weakening, and efforts are underway to improve lighting within the increasingly dark tunnel. Geological tests are also being conducted on samples of the slush to assess the risks of removing debris near the TBM before reaching the trapped workers. The situation remains critical, and the rescue operation continues.
First Piper 