Telangana ministers oversee SLBC tunnel rescue, ensure medical aid and swift relief efforts

Nagarkurnool (Telangana) [India], February 22 : Telangana Minister for Irrigation Uttam Kumar Reddy on Saturday reached the site of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel incident at Domalapenta here. Minister Jupally Krishna Rao also arrived to assess the situation and review the meeting, as per the statement.
The ministers chaired a review meeting with senior officials at the J.P. Guest House in Domalapenta. Among those present were Irrigation Department Advisor Aditya Das Nath, IG Satyanarayana, Fire Services DG GV Narayana Rao, the Nagarkurnool District Collector, and representatives from the agency handling the SLBC works.
Expressing shock over the incident, Minister Reddy inquired about details of the situation and inquired about the health condition of those affected. He ordered officials to intensify the rescue operation.
Following the ministers' instructions, officials have expedited relief operations. Rescue teams are working to safely extricate individuals believed to be trapped inside the tunnel. Medical teams have ensured a steady oxygen supply, while fire services and other rescue personnel have been deployed, the statement said.
The Singareni rescue team has also arrived at the tunnel site and is preparing to enter with oxygen support.
Ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Jupally Krishna Rao are monitoring the rescue operations on site.
Earlier on Saturday, the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel collapsed under the Eegalapenta police station limits in the Nagarkurnool district, leaving eight workers trapped inside.
The incident occurred while approximately 50 workers were engaged in work inside the tunnel. According to police, several workers managed to escape immediately after the collapse. However, eight workers remain unaccounted for.
According to the officials, "Today, during the morning shift, around 50 workers went to work and the tunnel suddenly collapsed. Eight workers are still trapped inside, while the others escape immediately. We suspect that the remaining eight workers are still inside, approximately 13 kilometres down."
The police further added, "The trapped workers are from various places, including Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and other locations. Special rescue teams from Hyderabad are being deployed to assist in the rescue operation. He added, "So far, we have not received any complaints from the family members of the trapped workers."