Sat Mar 01 15:55:05 UTC 2025: **Hope Flickers in Telangana Tunnel Rescue as Four Trapped Workers Located**
SRISAILAM, TELANGANA – A breakthrough has been made in the week-long rescue operation at the partially collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana. Officials have located four of the eight workers trapped since February 22nd, though the chances of their survival remain slim.
Telangana State Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao stated that while the whereabouts of four workers have been pinpointed using ground-penetrating radar, the probability of their survival is estimated at only one percent. He expressed hope that they could be extracted by Sunday evening. The four were discovered through anomalies detected by scientists from the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI).
The remaining four workers are believed to be trapped under the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), requiring further, more complex rescue efforts. The 450-foot tall TBM is currently being cut to access them.
The rescue operation involves over 11 agencies, including the Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), utilizing various techniques such as manual desilting and dewatering. Minister Rao defended the operation against criticism of delays, citing the complex conditions within the tunnel and the need to prioritize the safety of rescue personnel. The families of the trapped workers are anxiously awaiting updates.
First Piper 