Kerala's Cadaver Dog Team Joins Telangana Tunnel Rescue Efforts
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Synopsis
On March 6, Kerala's cadaver dogs joined the rescue operations in Telangana's Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel, where eight individuals have been trapped since February 22 due to a roof collapse.
Key Takeaways
- Kerala Police cadaver dogs deployed for rescue.
- Search ongoing for eight missing individuals.
- New methods, including water jets, being utilized.
- Robotics being considered for assistance.
- Ongoing efforts by multiple rescue teams.
Hyderabad, March 6 (NationPress) Cadaver dogs from the Kerala Police have joined the rescue mission at the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel located in Nagarkurnool district, Telangana. Eight individuals have been trapped since February 22 due to a collapse of the tunnel's roof.
Two specially trained cadaver dogs, adept at locating missing humans and human remains, along with their handlers, were airlifted by an Army helicopter.
The dog squad and their handlers are set to be fully operational by Friday morning.
Officials from the specialized dog unit convened with Nagarkurnool district Collector Badavath Santosh and representatives from the Disaster Management Authority to conduct an initial evaluation of the tunnel's interior.
As of Thursday, rescue efforts by various teams have been ongoing for the 13th consecutive day, yet no signs of the missing individuals have been discovered.
In a new strategy, rescue teams are employing water jets to clear away debris and slush at the site. The combined efforts from the Army, Navy, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Singareni Collieries, HYDRAA, and rathole miners are focused on removing the obstruction.
Additionally, representatives from NV Robotics in Hyderabad visited the site to investigate the potential use of robotics in locating the missing individuals. During a site visit on Sunday, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy emphasized the need to explore robotic assistance.
Colonel Kirti Pratap Singh, Secretary of the National Disaster Management Authority, also visited the tunnel to oversee the rescue operations.
State Disaster Management Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar briefed Colonel Singh about the interior conditions and the ongoing rescue efforts. He detailed that a tunnel boring machine (TBM) was significantly damaged due to a rock and soil collapse over a 150-meter stretch, leaving eight workers trapped within the TBM, with water and debris further hindering the rescue.
Arvind Kumar informed Colonel Singh that efforts are underway to carefully dismantle the TBM piece by piece to reach the trapped workers. To assist in locating them, cadaver dogs were brought in from Kerala. The conveyor belt system has begun operations, and once debris removal commences, the pace of rescue operations is expected to increase.
Later, Colonel Singh, accompanied by NDRF personnel and the Kerala cadaver dog squad, entered the tunnel in the evening to assess the current conditions and strategize the deployment of the dogs in key areas.
