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A tragic incident unfolded in Telangana on Saturday when a section of an under-construction tunnel collapsed near the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) in Nagarkurnool district, trapping at least six workers inside. The collapse occurred at the 14th km point of the tunnel, located behind the Srisailam dam in Amrabad, while laborers were carrying out repairs on a leak.
Dozens of workers managed to escape, but the fate of those trapped remains uncertain. Authorities have launched a massive rescue operation to locate and save them. Officials reported that the collapse covered over 10 meters of the tunnel, with mud spreading across 200 meters, making rescue efforts challenging.
Communication Breakdown, CM Orders Immediate Action
Nagarkurnool Collector B Santosh confirmed that there has been no communication with those trapped inside, as the internal communication system has also failed. The air chamber and conveyor belt within the tunnel have collapsed, further complicating the situation.
Expressing shock over the incident, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy took to social media, stating that several people were injured in the collapse, though he did not provide exact figures. The CM immediately instructed the District Collector, Superintendent of Police, Fire Department, Hydra, and Irrigation Department officials to rush to the site and carry out rescue operations.
Union Minister Seeks Explanation, Special Helicopter Dispatched
Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy has sought an explanation regarding the reasons behind the accident and urged authorities to expedite efforts to rescue those trapped. In a social media post, he assured that medical assistance is being arranged for the injured.
Meanwhile, Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar and a team of senior officials have left for the accident site in a special helicopter to assess the situation and oversee relief measures.
#BreakingNews | 5-7 workers feared trapped in a tunnel collapse at SLBC in Nagarkurnool. Minister @UttamINC on way to supervise rescue relief operations. Says details on how many are trapped will be known soon, as per information, most have safely made it out@NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/LJkPlaBwc8
— TNIE Telangana (@XpressHyderabad) February 22, 2025
Rescue Operation Faces Challenges
The tunnel had reopened just four days ago, making the sudden collapse even more alarming. Rescue teams are racing against time, but the extensive debris and lack of communication are major hurdles.
Authorities remain hopeful of locating the trapped workers and ensuring their safe evacuation as the state closely monitors developments.
