7-dead-three-missing-after-water-enters-chamoli-tunnel

Seven people have died and three others remain missing after water and debris flooded an under-construction Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited (THDC) tunnel at Pipalkoti in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, officials said on Friday.

 

A total of 19 workers were rescued from the tunnel and taken to the District Hospital in Gopeshwar. Seven were declared dead at the hospital, while 10 others were admitted for treatment. One injured worker was shifted to the Base Hospital in Srinagar as his condition was unstable.

 

Rescue operations are continuing to trace the three workers still missing inside the tunnel. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), District Disaster Response Force (DDRF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) are working together at the site.

 

NDRF team commander Amrit Lal Meena said a large amount of water had filled the tunnel when rescuers reached the spot. Water was also entering through the sides of the tunnel, making the operation difficult.

 

NDRF Assistant Commandant Alok Jayara said the search remains difficult as a large section of the tunnel is filled with water and sludge. He said the affected stretch is around 900 metres long and visibility inside the flooded portion is extremely poor.

 

"Visibility is very low, and we are unable to ascertain the situation underwater," Jayara said, adding that rescuers were therefore carrying out a manual search.

 

Rescue personnel have been working in shifts to cover the affected area. SDRF teams had earlier used a makeshift boat to enter the flooded section and conduct searches.

 

Jayara said the situation had remained largely unchanged since around 5:30 am, with teams continuing their efforts to locate the three missing workers.

 

The rescue operation has been complicated by the large volume of water inside the tunnel and sludge accumulated beneath it, which has restricted movement and made it difficult for teams to assess conditions below the surface.

 

Earlier, NDRF personnel had recovered four bodies from the flooded section. Officials said around 20 to 22 workers were inside the tunnel when the incident occurred.

 

THDC Executive Director (Projects) Kumar Sharad said rescue teams were deployed soon after the accident and 18 workers had initially been brought out and  shifted to the district hospital.

 

Authorities said the rescue operation will continue until all the missing workers are located.