Rescue teams race to save eight workers stuck in collapsed Indian tunnel

Rescue operations are underway in India's southern state of Telangana to save eight construction workers who have been trapped inside a collapsed tunnel since more than 72 hours.

The incident occurred early Saturday morning when a section of the roof of the 43-kilometre Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel caved in, trapping workers inside. Fifty workers were inside at the time of the collapse, with 43 managing to escape.

Efforts to reach the remaining eight men have been hampered by unstable soil, mud, and debris. Rescuers have been unable to establish contact with the workers or provide oxygen and essential supplies, raising concerns about their survival.

Photo: ANI

Remote chances of survival

State minister Jupally Krishna Rao, overseeing the rescue efforts, told PTI news agency that "the chances of their survival are very remote."

On Monday, an expert team of 'rat-hole miners'—skilled in navigating narrow tunnels—was deployed to clear debris. The same team had successfully rescued 41 construction workers trapped in a tunnel in Uttarakhand following a landslide in 2023.

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Officials said that approximately 33 kilometers of the tunnel have been excavated so far, with 10 kilometers still remaining.

Challenging rescue conditions

Rescuers are using a train and conveyor belt system to remove debris while continuously pumping out water to maintain oxygen levels inside the tunnel. However, rough terrain has significantly slowed the operation.

Firefighters from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Indian Army personnel are on-site assisting with the mission.

"We covered 11 kilometers by train, 2 kilometers by conveyor belt, and walked the rest of the way. But then we hit a roadblock. Tall mounds of mud and soft soil blocked our path. A boring machine lay overturned, obstructing all passage beyond."

The firefighter added that the team shouted, whistled, and pointed torches in hopes of hearing a response from the trapped workers but received none.

Families await news

As the rescue operation continues, families of the trapped workers—most of them daily wage laborers—are anxiously awaiting updates.

"I just hope my son comes back safe. I will never send him away to earn again," said Rampratap Sahu, a resident of Jharkhand state.

The accident occurred 13 kilometers from the tunnel’s entrance when a concrete slab covering seepage in the roof slipped and collapsed. At least 12 workers sustained injuries in the incident.

The SLBC tunnel is part of Telangana's longest-running irrigation project, located in a hilly, forested region passing through the Nagarjuna Sagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve, the largest in India.

Construction work had resumed just four days before the collapse after being stalled for nearly three years.