A catastrophic incident at a hydropower construction site in Uttarakhand, India has claimed at least seven lives, with rescue operations continuing to locate additional missing workers. The disaster occurred when a landslide triggered a sudden inflow of water and debris into the tunnel, which is part of a state-owned hydroelectric facility. The influx trapped construction workers inside the tunnel structure, prompting immediate emergency response efforts.
Local authorities confirmed that 13 workers sustained injuries in the accident, while three others remain unaccounted for. State Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced that rescue teams are conducting intensive operations to retrieve all trapped individuals, describing the effort as a “war-like” undertaking. Rescue personnel, including members of India’s National Disaster Response Force, have been deployed with specialized equipment to navigate the flooded tunnel sections.
The accident occurred during an active monsoon season that has brought heavy rainfall to the region. Officials attribute the rising water levels inside the tunnel to both the initial surge and continuous seepage from surrounding areas. Experts note that the fragile Himalayan environment faces increased vulnerability to such incidents, with development projects and climate change combining to heighten disaster risks in the region.
This incident represents the latest in a series of tunnel-related accidents affecting India’s hydroelectric infrastructure, following a similar deadly collapse in Sikkim last month that killed 20 workers.
Originally reported by Aljazeera →
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