Six workers were trapped inside an under-construction tunnel of THDC India near Pipalkoti in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district after a landslide triggered a sudden flow of debris and water into the tunnel on Thursday evening.
The incident took place inside the 3-km-long tail-race tunnel. Officials said the debris and water entered the structure nearly 1.5 km from its entrance, leaving several workers stranded underground.
Officials said rescue teams have managed to bring 16 workers out safely so far. The search and rescue operation is continuing to locate and evacuate the remaining three workers who are still believed to be trapped inside.
Landslide traps workers inside tunnel
According to police, the incident occurred at around 7:05 pm when 22 workers were present inside the tunnel. A sudden surge of water and debris entered the tunnel following the landslide. The unexpected flow trapped workers who were on duty at the time.
Soon after the incident was reported, emergency response teams were sent to the site. Local disaster response personnel joined the operation and began efforts to reach the workers trapped inside.
Rescue teams are facing challenging conditions as they work through the affected section of the tunnel. Officials are coordinating efforts to ensure that the remaining workers are brought out safely.
CM Dhami orders immediate rescue operation
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed concern over the incident and directed officials to closely monitor the rescue operation. He said teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) had been sent to the location “considering the seriousness of the incident”.
“Instructions have been issued to all relevant agencies, including the district administration, to carry out relief and rescue operations at a war footing,” he said.
Dhami said he was in regular contact with senior officials and was receiving real-time information about the rescue operation.
The chief minister made it clear that the government's main priority was to evacuate everyone trapped inside the tunnel safely. He also said that all necessary resources had been made available to support the rescue teams.
Dhami further instructed officials to ensure there was no negligence or delay in the operation. He asked authorities to provide every possible form of assistance to the affected workers and their families.
Agencies coordinate rescue efforts
Vinod Kumar Suman, secretary of disaster management and rehabilitation, said all agencies involved in the operation had been instructed to work together and speed up rescue and relief efforts.
“The priority is to safely evacuate all the people trapped inside the tunnel,” Suman said. He added that additional resources and specialised teams would be brought in if required to strengthen the operation.
Meanwhile, the district administration and other agencies involved in the rescue effort are working together at the site. Officials said coordination among the teams is being maintained as efforts continue to safely evacuate the remaining workers.