Seven Dead in Chamoli Tunnel Tragedy
At least seven workers have died and three remain missing after water and debris suddenly entered an under-construction tunnel at a hydroelectric project in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. Rescue teams are continuing operations inside the waterlogged tunnel at Mayapur in Pipalkoti.
Chamoli Tunnel Tragedy Kills Seven Workers
The incident occurred on Thursday when landslides and ground subsidence caused a sudden influx of water and debris into the tunnel, filling a substantial portion of the structure.
Twenty-two workers were inside when the incident occurred. Nineteen were subsequently brought out of the tunnel, including seven who died. Twelve workers were rescued alive, while three remain missing.
The injured were taken to hospitals for treatment, including the District Hospital in Gopeshwar.
Search Continues for Three Missing Workers
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and local police have been deployed for the search operation.
Rescuers face difficult conditions as water remains inside the tunnel and continues to hamper access to deeper sections.
The three missing workers have been identified as Lucas Topno from Jharkhand and Chetan Poyam and Devnath from Chhattisgarh.
Dhami Oversees Chamoli Rescue Operation
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Pipalkoti to review rescue and relief operations, while district authorities directed agencies to deploy all available resources to locate the missing workers.
The tunnel forms part of the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project being developed by THDC India Limited.
The incident has once again drawn attention to safety risks surrounding major infrastructure construction in Uttarakhand’s fragile Himalayan terrain.
