Trained Kerala Dogs Detect Human Presence in Telangana Tunnel Collapse Site

Nagarkurnool- In a significant breakthrough on Sunday, specialized cadaver dogs from Kerala have identified potential human presence underneath the debris at the partially collapsed SLBC tunnel in Nagarkurnool district, Telangana. This development comes 15 days into the ongoing rescue operation for eight workers trapped since February 22.

The Belgian Malinois breed dogs, capable of detecting scents from depths of up to 15 feet, pinpointed a location approximately 100 meters from the accident site at what rescuers call the "D-2 point" in the final stretch of the 14-kilometer tunnel. Rescue workers are now carefully excavating silt at this identified spot, with hopes of locating some of the missing persons by evening.

According to reports, rescue teams had already discovered human remains about six feet under the debris on Saturday night and are continuing excavation work to recover the body.

The collapse occurred during excavation work, trapping four laborers, two engineers, and two machine operators from various states including Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Multiple agencies including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army, Navy, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been collaborating on the rescue efforts. Following Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy's suggestion during his March 2 visit, authorities deployed robots equipped with cameras, infrared sensors, and robotic arms on Saturday to assess conditions and assist with the extraction.

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, who reviewed the situation with officials, reported that rescue teams have advanced to the 13.95-kilometer mark, but the final 50 meters remain hazardous due to oxygen depletion, water seepage, and metal debris from a collapsed Tunnel Boring Machine.

The government has allocated Rs 4 crore for robotic systems and consulted international tunnel experts while deploying 525 personnel for the operation. The Minister has pledged to return within days to assess progress and assured continued support to the families of trapped workers, emphasizing that rescue operations will continue until all workers are recovered.