Gopeshwar, Uttarakhand: Seven workers were killed as water and debris suddenly flooded an under-construction tunnel of a hydroelectric project site in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand. Search teams are searching for three workers who were missing after the disaster, and rescue teams are continuing their search for three workers still unaccounted for after the tragedy, officials confirmed on Friday.
The incident occurred on Thursday in Mayapur near Pipalkoti where workers were working in a tunnel of the hydroelectric project. Landslides and subsidence caused debris and a large amount of water to flow into the tunnel and trapped several workers inside.
District Disaster Management Officer N K Joshi said 22 people were inside the tunnel at the time. Rescue efforts continued until late at night, and 19 people were rescued out of the tunnel. Seven workers succumbed to their injuries, while three others are missing. Search and rescue operations are now in the process of finding the missing workers.
The tunnel remains partially filled with water, and rescue personnel have to contend with it in that way. Six rescue workers have entered the tunnel along with teams working outside to clear water and debris and reach the area where the missing workers are likely to be trapped.
The deceased workers have been identified as Pradeep Singh Pawar from Tehri, Mukesh from Chamoli, Durlabh Sharma from Bihar, Vijay and Jitendra Kumar from Jharkhand, and Lokeshwar and Bhuneshwar, whose native place had not yet been determined, said the official statement.
The rescued and injured people were taken to the Gopeshwar District Hospital for medical treatment. The injured workers’ condition is being assessed, but the search for the missing three people is ongoing.
Multiple agencies have been mobilized for the rescue operation. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and Uttarakhand Police are now working together to navigate the flooded tunnel and clear the debris that has blocked access.
The mountainous terrain of Chamoli and the unstable conditions brought about by landslides and subsidence have made the rescue efforts difficult for rescue workers. Water accumulation in the tunnel is also making it difficult to access the areas where the missing workers may be.
Tunnel construction in Uttarakhand's mountainous areas can carry the risks of landslides due to the fragile geological conditions, steep terrain, and susceptibility of the area to landslides, particularly during heavy rains. When earth and rock suddenly start to move, access routes can be blocked, and water can enter underground structures, making rescue operations considerably more difficult.
The tragedy has once again highlighted the risks faced by workers involved in major infrastructure and hydroelectric projects in the Himalayan region. Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances that led to the sudden flooding and debris flow into the tunnel.
For now, the immediate priority remains the safe recovery of the three missing workers and providing medical assistance to those who survived the incident. Rescuers continue to work hard inside the tunnel, and officials are keeping an eye out in the surrounding area for any possible dangers to personnel working there.
The search will continue, and authorities will update us on the rescue operation, the condition of the injured workers, and the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the seven workers.
