Rescue workers on Sunday retrieved the first body from the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel, which had collapsed on February 22 and trapped eight laborers. Authorities confirmed that one body was found lodged in a machine, with only a hand exposed.

We found one dead body stuck in the machine, with only the hand visible. The rescue teams are currently cutting the machine to retrieve the stuck body,” an official said.

Cadaver Canines Pick Up Stench Within Tunnel

When the rescue effort was in its 17th day, the Kerala cadaver dog team was sent inside the partially collapsed SLBC tunnel. Telangana irrigation and civil supplies minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said the dogs picked up a pungent smell at one spot, indicating the likely presence of three more persons.

SLBC Tunnel Collapse: Day 16 ⏰

Out of the eight workers who got trapped inside the SLBC tunnel 16 days ago, a decomposed and dismembered body was found right in front of the TBM

Basing on the tattoo on his arm, they are for now assuming it is that of one of the engineers… pic.twitter.com/PM9xSlfwhE

— Revathi (@revathitweets) March 9, 2025

Reddy assured that the government would provide complete support to the families of the disappeared workers. He also reviewed the work of ongoing dewatering and desilting, noting that more updates would be given after a review on March 11.

Robot Technology Deployed to Help Rescue

To speed up the rescue work, authorities used robot technology to find the buried workers, Reddy said. He termed the accident a national disaster and underscored that the state government is applying cutting-edge global technology to overcome the problems in the last section of the 14-kilometre-long tunnel.

“The usage of bots for the last 70 meters (at the accident site) was discussed with (concerned) agency and robots will be placed and tried from Tuesday onwards, in addition to all the efforts which are being undertaken now,” a senior government official told PTI.

Even after two weeks of non-stop efforts by 11 national-level rescue teams, finding and bringing out the trapped workers is still a huge task. Authorities are taking advice from international tunnel building and rescue specialists to identify the safest and most efficient method.

Tragedy Strikes Just Days After Construction Resumes

The disaster started on February 22 when three-metre long part of the roof of the construction work of the SLBC tunnel caved in at 14 km from Domalapenta in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana. The tragedy happened four days after the construction work had resumed after a long break. Though some employees were able to flee, eight were trapped.

The rescue operation goes on as officials consider all possible ways to recover the remaining trapped workers safely.