Tue Feb 25 01:24:50 UTC 2025: ## Rat Miners Join Race Against Time to Rescue Eight Trapped in Telangana Tunnel Collapse
**Nagarkurnool, Telangana, February 25, 2025** – A desperate race against time is underway to rescue eight workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district. A section of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel collapsed on Saturday, February 22nd, trapping two engineers, two technicians, and four other workers.
Nine of India’s top disaster response agencies, including the Indian Army, Indian Navy, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), are working around the clock on the rescue operation under a unified command.
Adding to the rescue effort, a team of expert “rat miners,” renowned for their success in rescuing workers from a similar tunnel collapse in Uttarkashi last year, arrived on Tuesday. These miners, skilled in manual excavation techniques, are assisting in the complex operation where advanced machinery has proven insufficient.
Rat-hole mining, the method these miners utilize, was banned in 2014 due to its unscientific nature. However, their expertise proved invaluable in the Uttarkashi rescue, where they successfully reached trapped workers after 16 days.
Telangana Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy confirmed the unified command structure and the ongoing efforts to save the eight trapped individuals. The situation remains critical, with rescuers facing a challenging race against time.
First Piper 