Hyderabad: The rescue operation in the partially-collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district was in full swing on the 14th day on Friday with the deployment of ‘cadaver’ dogs from Kerala and a robotic expert team to trace eight missing persons.
Cadaver dogs from Kerala, along with their handlers, were deployed to trace eight persons who were trapped on February 22 after a portion of the tunnel’s roof collapsed.
These highly skilled canines, known for their precision in detecting human remains even in challenging conditions, are expected to play a pivotal role in the operation.
Two cadaver dogs and the officers handling them arrived by an Army helicopter on Thursday.
The officials of the special dog squad held a meeting with Nagarkurnool district Collector Badavath Santosh and officials of the Disaster Management Authority and made an initial assessment of the situation inside the tunnel before their deployment.
A four-member robotic expert team from ANVI Robotics entered the tunnel for rescue operations. A professor from IIT, Madras was accompanying them to provide technical expertise.
The robotic experts, who inspected the tunnel surroundings on Thursday, entered the tunnel again on Friday for further assessment. The team from Hyderabad is utilising robotic assistance to analyze conditions inside the tunnel.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, during his visit to the tunnel on Sunday, had asked officials to explore the possibility of using robots.
According to officials, Disaster Management Secretary Arvind Kumar is coordinating efforts, ensuring continuous support through mobile updates to the ground teams. Upon receiving information about battery issues and the need for a rock cutter, Arvind Kumar arranged for a locomotive to deliver the required equipment into the tunnel.
The rescue teams were using water jets to clear debris and slush from the accident site. Teams of the Army, the Navy, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Singareni Collieries, HYDRAA, and rat-hole miners continued their intensive efforts to remove debris and slush.
Rocks and soil over a length of about 150 metres collapsed when about 50 workers were engaged in digging work with the help of a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) about 14 km inside the tunnel. While most of the workers managed to come out, eight persons were trapped. Seepage of water and debris further complicated the situation, hampering rescue operations.
The rescue workers are cutting TBM piece by piece in an attempt to reach the trapped workers. Arvind Kumar said the conveyor belt system has started functioning, and once the process of removing debris through it begins, the rescue operations will accelerate.
(IANS)
