The stationing of medical teams and specialized ambulances at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel project site near Domalapenta in Nagarkurnool district marked a grim and solemn phase in one of the most complex tunnel rescue operations in India’s history. Following the devastating collapse of a roof section deep within the under-construction irrigation tunnel, the sudden positioning of multiple ambulances by the local administration served as the first physical indication to the public that rescue teams had finally breached the dense layers of mud, steel, and silt to locate the victims.
The catastrophic incident occurred at the 14-kilometer mark inside the tunnel, trapping eight engineers and operators under a massive deluge of water seepage and muck. For weeks, more than 200 rescue personnel from elite national agencies—including the NDRF, Indian Army Engr Task Force, Navy MARCOS, and specialised rat miners—battled treacherous subterranean conditions, high humidity, and heavy sludge that constantly blocked locomotive access. The structural instability inside the known geological shear zone initially made heavy-duty excavation too dangerous, forcing search teams to painstakingly clear debris layer by layer using mini-excavators and advanced metal cutters.