Telangana tunnel accident: Rescuers managed to reach accident location, but unable to locate trapped
Nagarkurnool (PTI): In a significant development, a team of experts engaged in rescuing the eight persons who have remained trapped for the past five days in the partially collapsed SLBC tunnel were able to reach the end of the tunnel and return, a senior police official said on Wednesday.
The teams so far were able to reach up to 50 meters before the end of the tunnel only due to muck and debris.
“A 20 member team comprising NDRF, SDRF and Rat Miners were able to reach the last points of the (tunnel). But there was a lot of debris. They are working out how to go about,” Nagarkurnool Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Gaikwad told PTI.
“One day before they were able to reach up to 40 meters (before the end of the tunnel). Yesterday they reached (crossed) that 40 meters also,” the official further said.
Gaikwad further said the team searched at the location but could not find anything last night.
Replying to a query, he said the Geological Survey of India team which has collected samples is yet to submit its reports on soil strength and others.
Top experts from the Indian Army, Navy, NDRF, GSI and other agencies who are making relentless efforts to find a breakthrough in the collapsed SLBC tunnel rescue work amidst threat to the lives of rescuers' with the continuous flow of silt and water, are set to continue their operations on Wednesday.
Addressing media persons, Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday cited experts, who described this as the most complex and difficult tunnel rescue operation in the world or at least in India as there is only one entry or exit to the SLBC tunnel.
There was no contact with the trapped persons though oxygen is being pumped into the tunnel continuously, the minister had said.
Eight personnel working on the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel project were trapped after a portion of the tunnel collapsed on February 22.
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Death sentence of Nimisha Priya likely to be revoked; Mediation talks in Yemen make progress
Kozhikode: There are strong indications that Nimisha Priya’s death sentence in Yemen may be revoked following significant progress in recent mediation talks. According to mediators, the family of the deceased Yemeni national Talal, who was killed, has agreed in principle to pardon Nimisha.
A press release from the office of Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar stated that some crucial decisions have been taken in the case. The developments follow high-level negotiations involving a delegation of Yemeni scholars appointed by Habib Umar bin Hafiz, a prominent scholar from Tarim, along with officials from northern Yemen and international diplomatic representatives.
Further discussions with Talal’s family are expected to finalise the terms, especially concerning compensation and legal formalities.
It may be recalled that Nimisha was scheduled to be executed on July 16. However, following the intervention of Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar, the execution was temporarily postponed on July 15.
