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Rescue team reaches Telangana tunnel end, fate of trapped men not known

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Hyderabad, Feb 26: The operation to rescue eight persons trapped in the partially-collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district made some progress on the fifth day on Wednesday as the rescue workers managed to reach the end of the 14-km long tunnel.

A team of rescue workers from different agencies finally succeeded in crossing the last 40-meter stretch and returned but there was no word about the fate of the eight persons.

Officials said the team saw the entire stretch filled with slush and debris. They would now decide how to go about the final phase of the operation.

Earlier, tunnel experts from the Border Security Force (BSF) were roped in as part of the efforts to reach the head portion of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM).

With slush impeding the further movement of the rescue teams, experts from various agencies have reportedly concluded that removing slush is the only way to complete the mission.

At a review meeting with Telangana ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, top officials of the agencies involved in the rescue mission informed that efforts were underway to remove the slush to reach the last 40 metres.

With this stretch filled with mud and debris and water seepage continuing, rescue workers had not made any headway for more than 24 hours.

A team of rat miners also went inside the tunnel and assessed the situation. Their representative told the media that the TBM was not seen and feared that it could be buried under the mud.

Rescue teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Army, the Navy and other agencies have not been able to advance further due to 7-9 metre high mud while the continuous seepage of water has made the entire operation risky for the rescue workers.

On a request from Telangana, the National Disaster Management Authority has requested the National Remote Sensing Centre and Geological Survey of India to conduct surface and sub-surface assessment of the incident site. This assessment is needed for the safety of the teams carrying out rescue operations.

Roping in experts from various agencies across the country and deployment of advanced equipment have not helped in what is believed to be the most difficult tunnel rescue operation in India.

Irrigation Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy on Wednesday held a meeting with officials of the various agencies involved in the rescue operation to assess the situation and discuss future course of action.

The ministers were informed that unless slush is removed and dewatering is done, rescue teams can’t make headway to reach the exact spot of the accident where the two engineers, two technical staff and four workers are trapped.

The accident occurred 14 km inside the tunnel. While the rescue teams had already reached 13.5 km, they could not advance further for the last two days due to mud, the debris of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) and the seepage of water. The divers of the Navy’s special forces unit Marcos were unable to wade through the slush.

Rescue workers say more soil is falling from fresh cavities at the exact spot of the tunnel collapse, adding to mud. As the slush is more than 70 per cent, the Navy divers were unable to go through it.

With more than 100 hours after the accident, the chances of survival of the trapped men are stated to be remote.

The Border Road Organisation will also be joining the rescue operation on Wednesday. The operation involves the Army, the Navy, the SDRF, the National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation, the Singareni Collieries Company Limited, L&T, and HYDRAA.

Disaster Management Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar continues to supervise the rescue operation with other top officials.

The tail unit of TBM was found 50 metres before the end of the 14 km long tunnel. The head portion of the tunnel has a safe container for workers to take shelter in emergency situations. It was not known if the trapped men could enter the container when the roof collapsed and seepage of water became intensive.

Meanwhile, Jaypee Group founder Jaiprakash Gaur visited the tunnel on Wednesday and said they were making their best efforts to rescue to trapped men. Jaypee is the contracting firm for the SLBC project.

Gaur said after completing the rescue operation, the company would resume the work to execute the project. He told media persons that they have encountered such incidents during tunnel works. He said this was the sixth or seventh accident in his life.

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Mumbai’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Sudhakar Pathare, who was posted in the Port Zone, passed away in a road accident on Saturday.

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Pathare had visited Hyderabad for training. He was on his way to visit a temple with a relative when the accident occurred. Both Pathare and his relative lost their lives in the crash.

Mumbai Police have been informed about the incident.

More details are awaited.

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India stands in solidarity with people of Myanmar: PM Modi

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New Delhi, March 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed deep sorrow over the catastrophic earthquake in Myanmar, which has resulted in the loss of over 1,000 lives.

In a post on X, PM Modi posted, “Spoke with Senior General H.E. Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar. Conveyed our deep condolences at the loss of lives in the devastating earthquake.”

Under its Act East policy, India has launched ‘Operation Brahma’ to provide urgent relief to Myanmar. On Saturday, more than 15 tonnes of essential aid were dispatched following a series of powerful tremors that wreaked havoc on Friday.

Highlighting India’s unwavering commitment to assisting its neighbours in times of crisis, PM Modi further added, “As a close friend and neighbour, India stands in solidarity with the people of Myanmar in this difficult hour. Disaster relief material, humanitarian assistance, search and rescue teams are being expeditiously dispatched to the affected areas as part of Operation Brahma.”

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced the initiation of Operation Brahma, confirming that the first tranche of humanitarian aid had reached Yangon Airport on Saturday morning.

“Operation Brahma gets underway. First tranche of humanitarian aid from India has reached the Yangon Airport in Myanmar,” the EAM posted on X.

The Ministry of External Affairs emphasised India’s role as a first responder, stating that the relief consignment included tents, blankets, sleeping bags, food packets, hygiene kits, generators, and crucial medicines.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) transported the relief material aboard a C-130J aircraft from Air Force Station Hindon. The package comprises ready-to-eat meals, water purifiers, solar lamps, generator sets, and vital medical supplies such as paracetamol, antibiotics, syringes, gloves, and bandages.

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Bangkok is closely monitoring developments in neighbouring Thailand, where tremors were also recorded. Officials confirmed that there have been no reports of any Indian citizens being affected.

The Embassy advised Indian nationals in Thailand to contact emergency services if needed, assuring that all Embassy staff in Bangkok and the Consulate in Chiang Mai are safe.

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1,002 killed, 2,376 injured in devastating earthquake in Myanmar (Ld)

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Mandalay, March 29: At least 1,002 were killed, 2,376 were injured, and 30 remained missing in the earthquake that rattled Myanmar, according to the Information Team of Myanmar’s State Administration Council on Saturday.

Rescue efforts have intensified in Myanmar despite severe disruptions to transportation and communication networks following a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Friday afternoon.

The quake, which originated near Sagaing, triggered 12 aftershocks ranging from 2.8 to 7.5 in magnitude, further worsening conditions in the affected areas.

The devastation has been widespread, with Mandalay, Bago, Magway, northeastern Shan State, Sagaing, and Nay Pyi Taw among the hardest-hit regions, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Myanmar government has declared a national emergency as emergency responders work tirelessly to assist those in need.

A critical transport link, the Yangon-Mandalay highway, suffered severe damage near Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay, making relief operations challenging.

People have resorted to using the older Yangon-Mandalay road to arrive at the quake-hit areas and facilitate rescue efforts. Additionally, the collapse of buildings in Mandalay Airport and sections of the highway has further disrupted travel between Yangon and Mandalay, Myanmar’s two largest cities.

Rescue teams, including fire service personnel from lower Myanmar, have arrived at the severely affected areas like Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay. However, damaged infrastructure, power outages, and disruptions to phone and internet services have complicated relief efforts.

International assistance has begun arriving. A Chinese rescue team landed in Yangon on Saturday morning to support Myanmar’s emergency response and provide aid to affected communities.

As authorities and rescue teams work around the clock to assist those impacted by the disaster, Myanmar faces the daunting task of recovering from one of its most powerful earthquakes in recent history.

With critical infrastructure damaged and essential services disrupted, coordinated relief efforts are urgently needed to help survivors rebuild their lives.

Myanmar leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has called for humanitarian assistance from both local and international communities. On Saturday morning, Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Mandalay to facilitate the rescue operations.

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