Key Points
- Nine bodies recovered from collapsed tunnel
- At least 15 workers still trapped
- Toxic methane gas hampers rescue efforts
NEW DELHI: At least nine workers have died, and 15 others remained trapped after a tunnel collapsed at an under-construction hydroelectric project in India’s remote northeastern state of Sikkim, officials said on Tuesday.
Rescue teams were continuing efforts to reach those trapped despite hazardous conditions inside the tunnel.
The accident occurred on Monday at a state-run hydropower project on the Teesta River in Namchi District, located in the Himalayan state.
Authorities said between 25 and 27 workers were believed to have been inside the collapsed structure when the accident occurred. Nine bodies have so far been recovered from the site.
Rajiv Roka, director of the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority, told AFP that rescue operations were facing significant challenges because of toxic methane gas leaking from underground rock formations.
“Aggressive rescue operations are underway, but the problem is there’s a lot of gas present there,” Roka said. Authorities have flown in specialist teams trained in mining and underground rescue operations to assist local emergency responders.
An underground blast might have caused the blast, officials believe, adding that the exact cause remains under investigation.
Roka said authorities were not yet certain what caused the explosion deep inside the tunnel but suggested it was “most probably natural”.
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The region has experienced heavy monsoon rainfall in recent days, which may have contributed to unstable ground conditions.
The construction is part of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation’s Teesta Stage VI project, a major hydropower development intended to boost electricity generation in the mountainous region.
According to local officials, several workers managed to escape shortly after the incident, but many remained trapped deeper inside the tunnel when access routes were blocked.
The accident has renewed concerns about infrastructure development in the fragile Himalayan region, where landslides, flash floods and geological instability frequently threaten large construction projects.
Environmental experts have repeatedly warned that intensive infrastructure development, combined with increasingly erratic weather patterns, has heightened disaster risks in the mountains.
India’s tunnel accidents
India has witnessed several major tunnel accidents in recent years. In 2023, a tunnel collapse in the northern state of Uttarakhand trapped 41 workers for 17 days before they were rescued in a high-profile operation that attracted global attention.
The incident prompted reviews of tunnel safety standards and construction practices across the country.
Rescue teams in Sikkim were continuing efforts on Tuesday, racing against time to locate survivors and clear debris from the collapsed section of the tunnel. Authorities have not indicated how long the operation may take.
