Work on restoration of power and pumping out water from the tunnel is underway at Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) to rescue eight workers trapped underneath in Domalapenta in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana.

SLBC tunnel mishap: Rescue operations in full swing as eight people remain trapped
Video Credit: PTI

According to officials, the rescue teams could reach up 11 km in the tunnel but could not proceed further to the spot where a part of the roof caved in trapping the workers on Saturday morning.

A three-meter stretch of the roof of the tunnel, which is under construction, caved on Saturday morning when 50 workers were busy working in their morning shift. While 42 escaped including 13 who sustained injuries, eight are trapped in the tunnel.

Despite steady efforts from rescue teams from National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, Police, Fire personnel and experts from Singareni Collieries no headway could be made till Sunday morning, according to officials.  A team from Indian Army is set to join the rescue efforts.

“The rescue teams, after reaching to an extent in the tunnel, could not proceed further due to water and mud in the tunnel. The pipe installed to supply oxygen inside the tunnel appeared to have broken,” said an official from the rescue site. The challenge was to reach the accident spot which is located at 14 km point in the 43.93 km long tunnel, he added. 

Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, has been supervising rescue operations since yesterday. 

Published on February 23, 2025