Tunnel Mishap / Seven Workers Killed, 14 Injured After Debris & Water Enter Uttarakhand Hydro Tunnel

Chamoli, Aug 14: Seven workers were killed and 14 others injured after a large volume of debris and water entered an under-construction hydro tunnel at a THDC project in Mayapur (Pipalkoti) in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on Thursday evening, officials said.

One worker remains trapped inside the tunnel, while 21 of the 22 workers who were inside at the time of the incident have been accounted for.

The incident occurred at around 6:45 p.m. when debris and water suddenly entered the tunnel being constructed by Hindustan Construction Company (HCC). Workers on duty at the time were trapped inside.

Rescue Operation Underway
A search and rescue operation was launched immediately after the incident, with teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other agencies deployed at the site.

Rescue personnel are continuing efforts to reach the worker who remains trapped. Machinery is being used to clear debris and drain water from the tunnel, while SDRF personnel are also using improvised drum boats to access affected areas.

The Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), NDRF and SDRF were also mobilised following the incident.

Personnel from the District Incident Response Force (DIRF), local police and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) are involved in the rescue operation.

Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said the incident occurred inside a tunnel being constructed for a THDC hydropower project.

"This is a tunnel under construction for a hydropower project belonging to THDC. Around 6:30 or 6:45 pm, a large volume of debris and water surged into the tunnel. Workers from the shift on duty got trapped inside," Kumar said.

He said NDRF and SDRF teams, along with machinery, were engaged in efforts to evacuate the remaining workers.

Also Read: Heavy Rain Wreaks Havoc at Rourkela Railway Station

Injured Workers Hospitalised
The injured workers were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Officials said workers with serious injuries would be shifted to higher medical centres, while others were receiving treatment at Gopeshwar.

Chief Minister Monitoring Rescue
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is monitoring the rescue operation and has directed authorities to deploy all available resources for the evacuation of the trapped worker.

Dhami said the NDRF and SDRF teams had been rushed to the site and instructed the district administration and other departments to work in coordination.

"The government's top priority is to ensure the safe evacuation of every person trapped inside the tunnel. All necessary resources have been deployed for the rescue operation," Dhami said.

He also directed officials to ensure there was no delay or lapse in the rescue operation and to provide all possible assistance to the affected workers and their families.

Dhami is scheduled to inspect the rescue and relief operation at the affected tunnel area at 9 am on Friday. He is also scheduled to meet injured workers at Gopeshwar at 10:25 am.

The chief minister has also spoken to the chief ministers of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh regarding the incident.

Rescue operations are continuing at the site to evacuate the remaining trapped worker.