At least nine people have died after a tunnel collapsed at a hydroelectric project under construction in northeastern India. Fifteen people are still trapped inside the tunnel.
The accident occurred on Monday in the Himalayan state of Sikkim, where construction work was underway for a hydroelectric project on the Teesta River.
“We estimate that around 25 to 27 people were trapped in the tunnel,” Rajiv Roka, director of the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority, told AFP.
He said, ‘So far, 9 bodies have been recovered.’
The AFP news agency reported this news from New Delhi.
It is initially believed that the tunnel collapsed due to an explosion. However, the exact cause of the explosion has not yet been confirmed.
The region has been experiencing heavy monsoon rains in recent days.
Rajiv Roka said, “The explosion occurred very deep in the tunnel. So we are not sure about the cause.”
He added, “It probably happened due to natural causes.”
Officials said toxic methane gas emanating from underground rock layers has become a major obstacle to rescue efforts, with only rescue teams carrying oxygen equipment able to enter the tunnel.
“A vigorous rescue operation is underway. But the biggest problem is that there is a lot of gas there,” Roca said.
He said that an expert team specially trained in mine accident rescue work has been airlifted to the scene.
Accidents often occur in large infrastructure construction projects in India.
However, according to environmentalists, the risk of such disasters has increased due to additional development projects in the fragile environment of the Himalayas.
In 2023, 41 workers were trapped after a Himalayan road tunnel collapsed in the state of Uttarakhand. They were rescued alive after 17 days.
