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At least nine people have lost their lives, with 15 others still trapped after a tunnel collapsed during construction work at a hydroelectric project in India’s remote northeast, officials reported Tuesday.
The incident happened Monday in Sikkim, a Himalayan state, where workers were building a tunnel for a government-operated hydropower facility along the Teesta River.
“We estimate that around 25 to 27 individuals were trapped,” said Rajiv Roka, head of the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority, to AFP. “Nine bodies have already been recovered.”
The collapse was probably caused by an explosion, though technicians have not yet determined the exact cause. Recent heavy monsoon rains in the area may have contributed to the incident.
Roka mentioned, “We’re unsure of what triggered the blast since it occurred deep within the tunnel,” adding, “Most likely, it was due to natural factors.”
Rescue efforts are hampered by the presence of dangerous methane gas leaking from underground rock formations, making it necessary for rescue teams to wear oxygen supplies to enter the site.
“Intensive rescue operations are ongoing, but a lot of gas is present there,” Roka explained. A specialized team with mining accident experience has been brought in to assist the rescue teams.
While accidents at large infrastructure sites are quite common across India, environmentalists argue that excessive development has increased the frequency of such disasters, especially in the fragile Himalayan environment.
In 2023, 41 workers were rescued after being trapped for 17 days following a tunnel collapse in northern Uttarakhand.
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