Uttarakhand: Four dead in Chamoli tunnel mishap, rescue ops underway
Chamoli, August 14
Four bodies have been recovered from an under-construction tunnel of the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited at Pipalkoti in Chamoli, where several workers were trapped after water and debris entered the tunnel, officials said on Thursday.
Rescue operations by NDRF and SDRF teams are underway to evacuate the remaining workers trapped inside the tunnel. Officials said 18 workers have been rescued so far and shifted to the district hospital for treatment.
NDRF team commander Amrit Lal Meena said a large volume of water had entered the tunnel when the rescue team reached the site, with water also seeping in from the sides.
"After our team arrived and started the operation, there was a massive volume of water inside the tunnel. The water level has risen significantly since then. Our personnel, using specialised equipment, have recovered four bodies from the water so far. The rescue operation is still underway and will continue until everyone is retrieved," Meena told ANI.
THDC Executive Director (Projects) Kumar Sharad said around 20 to 22 workers were present inside the tunnel when the accident occurred.
He said NDRF and SDRF teams were deployed for the rescue operation, and 18 workers had been rescued so far and shifted to the district hospital for treatment. Three to four of the rescued workers are in serious condition, he said.
"It is with great regret that I have to inform you about a major accident at our hydroelectric project in Pipalkoti, Vishnughat. Debris collapsed into our tail-race tunnel following an influx of water. About 20 to 22 of our workers were present and became trapped there. NDRF and SDRF teams have been deployed; they have successfully rescued 18 people, all of whom are currently undergoing treatment at the district hospital. Three or four of them are in serious condition. Our rescue teams are working to bring out the remaining individuals as quickly as possible... THDC stands firmly with the workers and is committed to providing every possible assistance. It happened around 7:00 PM. A cavity formed due to a sudden influx of water, leading to the accident... There had been a possibility of continuous rain for several days, so we had considered halting the work. We were working there while observing all the necessary safety precautions. However, the incident occurred quite suddenly," Sharad told ANI.
The rescue operation is continuing at the site with NDRF and SDRF personnel working to locate and evacuate those still trapped inside the tunnel.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who was monitoring the situation from the State Disaster Management Authority office in Dehradun, said that instructions have been issued to carry out rescue operations at war footing.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Praying for the safety of all workers trapped inside 🙏 NDRF and SDRF teams are doing a phenomenal job in such difficult conditions. Chamoli has seen so many disasters in recent years - the government needs to ensure better safety protocols for infrastructure projects in such fragile Himalayan terrain. We cannot keep losing lives like this.
This is really unfortunate. But I appreciate how quickly the rescue teams responded. CM Dhami monitoring from Dehradun and giving directions for war-footing operations shows the seriousness. However, the real question is about accountability - workers risk their lives while companies cut corners on safety. Hydro projects in such geologically sensitive areas need far more rigorous risk assessment.
Rescue teams are doing incredible work under challenging conditions. This highlights the need for better safety measures in infrastructure projects, especially in mountainous regions. My thoughts and prayers for the workers and their families.
This is so heartbreaking 💔 These workers are the backbone of our infrastructure development and they deserve better protection. The authorities say they had considered halting work due to rain forecasts which is concerning - why wasn't it done? God bless the NDRF and SDRF teams working tirelessly to save lives. Hope the missing workers are found safe.
The Himalayan region is geologically very sensitive and we keep seeing such disasters in infrastructure projects. While rescue operations are commendable, we need an independent safety audit of all under-construction tunnels in mountainous areas. Prevention is always better than cure. My condolences to the families of the deceased and prayers for the
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