Hyderabad: The ongoing multi-agency rescue operation to trace the remaining seven persons trapped in the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel near Domalapenta village in Nagarkurnool district has entered a crucial phase. Manoeuvring the last 40 metres is proving to be an arduous task, even as intensified de-watering, debris removal, shifting of muck and silt, and cutting and removal of parts of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) continue.
The rescue teams are working on D-1 and D-2 spots identified by the sniffer dogs brought from Kerala, and digging operations are ongoing. Officials said the precarious state of the collapsed roof is posing a challenge to the rescue teams searching for the missing workers. Of the total eight trapped in the SLBC tunnel accident on Feb 22, one body, that of Gurpreet Singh, was retrieved on March 16.
To bolster the rescue mission, advanced technology has been deployed, including a cutting-edge hydraulic robot. This technology is capable of performing 15 times faster than manual labour, which is expected to further expedite the excavation and debris removal process.
