Telangana tunnel collapse: Excessive water and mud seepage, low visibility making rescue op dangerous - What experts say

Rescue efforts at the collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Nagarkurnool district, Telangana, where eight men have been trapped since Saturday morning, got tougher due to heavy water and mud seepage and low visibility.

Increase in level of slush makes rescue operations ‘dangerous’

A National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) official informed the government that the quantity of slush has increased, either due to another sudden inflow or a gradual increase. Amid such concern, it might become dangerous to conduct "intensive" rescue operations, as per an NDTV report.

Rescue officials estimate that approximately 3,200 litres of water per minute is flooding the tunnel, combining with sand, rock, and debris to create more mud and slush. While this is neither unusual nor unexpected, efforts to de-water the tunnel are ongoing. However, concerns remain as the flow of slush persists.

‘Visibility has gone to zero’

As per Indian Express, the Navy, Army, and other organisations had a lengthy meeting at the site on Monday, but the experts could not suggest how to navigate through the thick wall of slush to rescue the trapped men.

NDRF’s 10th Battalion Commandant Prasanna Kumar informed forces had tried to reach the trapped persons “but were not equipped for this kind of a wall of mud.”

He said, “It is like a large quicksand pit. The visibility has gone to zero. We have deployed probe scopes and sonars, which revealed the presence of dangerous debris like twisted metal, concrete chucks and other materials. Anyone who ventures into it will be seriously injured. A rat hole worker has arrived, but he cannot help either because he can work only in dry conditions.”

“Here, we are dealing with a thick wall of mud-water mix. Right now, we do not have any technology to help us make our way through this wall of slush to reach the men. We have not been able to establish contact with the trapped persons so far,” Kumar added.

(With inputs from agencies, NDTV and Indian Express)