SLBC tunnel collapse: Telangana ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy, Jupalli Krishna Rao take stock of rescue efforts

Nagarkurnool (Telangana) [India], February 23 (ANI): Telangana ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Jupalli Krishna Rao took stock of efforts to rescue eight workers trapped in the collapse of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) in the Nagarkurnool district of the state.
With State government, Army, Navy, NDRF, SDRF and other organisations are working together for the rescue efforts, the ministers informed that the process of dewatering has begun, and oxygen is being pumped regularly in the tunnel for the workers.
"We have reviewed the relief operations with the representatives of the Army, Navy and NDRF. Our government is working hard and putting all our efforts to save the lives of the eight people who are trapped inside," Uttam Kumar Reddy told ANI while inspecting the rescue efforts.
"Prime Minister and Leader of Opposition both spoke to the Chief Minister and expressed their full support and cooperation for the relief measures," the minister added.
Earlier today, LoP Rahul Gandhi called Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to get updates on the situation and assured all the support from his side. Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also talked with the CM and assured full support for the rescue operations currently ongoing.
Another state minister, Jupalli Krishna Rao said that the unfortunate incident was not due to human error, but instead because of the loose rock formation which led to water and mud clogging up the tunnel.

"This unfortunate incident has not happened due to human error or government's error. The (natural) formation of rocks which are there, because they got loose then suddenly water and mud came down and filled the tunnel up, with around 12-13 feet being covered in mud and water," the minister told ANI.
He further informed that getting a vehicle inside the tunnel for removing the mud is difficult due to the terrain, however officials are working to find alternative solutions for that.
"A vehicle also cannot go in due to the rail tracks which are there, there is a lot of mud too, so because of that we are trying to find an alternative way. The irrigation department, National Disaster Management relief teams, Defence Disaster Management teams are working hard to see what can be done. The teams went in at 10 PM and 3 PM, and they are pumping oxygen in there too along with putting motors for dewatering. For now we cannot say for certain what the situation is inside," minister Rao said.
Meanwhile, NDRF and other agencies continue their rescue efforts. Videos shared from the accident site inside the tunnel shows waterlogging in various parts of the tunnel and NDRF using locomotives to traverse part of the tunnel.

On Saturday morning, a three-meter section of the roof of an under-construction stretch of the SLBC tunnel collapsed at the 14 km mark near Domalapenta in Nagarkurnool district, Telangana. The collapse occurred just four days after construction work had resumed following a lengthy hiatus. While some workers managed to escape, the eight remained trapped. (ANI)