Agencies | Chamoli:
At least seven workers were killed and 11 others injured after water and debris entered an under-construction tunnel at a hydroelectric project site in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Thursday, officials said. The search for six missing workers is continuing.
The incident occurred at a project site of the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) in the Pipalkoti area, where workers were engaged in construction activities. According to initial reports, a total of 22 workers were trapped inside the tunnel after it was flooded with water and debris.
Officials said rescue teams have so far evacuated workers from the affected section, with seven deaths confirmed and 11 injured workers shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The construction work at the project is being carried out by the Hindustan Construction Company (HCC), officials said.
A large-scale rescue operation was launched immediately after the incident, with personnel from the police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) rushing to the site.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Army were also deployed to assist in the search and rescue operation.
NDRF Inspector Amrit Lal Meena said the tunnel was heavily flooded, with water reaching chest level in parts of the affected area.
Rescue personnel had to wade through the water to reach trapped workers and recover bodies from submerged sections of the tunnel. Some rescuers were equipped with specialised equipment to conduct underwater operations.
Meena said several bodies were submerged and could not be seen from the surface, requiring rescue teams to enter the flooded section and retrieve them.
The operation has been complicated by the presence of water and debris inside the tunnel, with rescue teams continuing efforts to locate the six workers who remain unaccounted for.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed concern over the incident and directed the concerned agencies to intensify relief and rescue operations on a “war footing”.
Officials said emergency response teams are working continuously at the site and efforts are being made to reach the remaining missing workers as quickly as possible.
Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Department Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said the situation was being monitored continuously through emergency operation centres.
He said additional rescue teams and resources would be deployed if required.
Authorities are also assessing the circumstances that led to the sudden ingress of water and debris into the under-construction tunnel. Further details about the cause of the incident are awaited as rescue and assessment operations continue.
The priority, officials said, remains locating the missing workers, providing medical assistance to the injured and ensuring the safety of rescue personnel operating inside the damaged and flooded tunnel.
