Uttarakhand Tunnel Tragedy, Death Toll Rises to 7 in Chamoli, Search Continues for 3 Missing
Seven workers died after water and debris flooded an under construction tunnel at a hydropower project in Mayapur, while multi-agency teams continue efforts to locate three missing workers.
GOPESHWAR (UTTARAKHAND), Aug 14: Seven workers were killed after water and debris suddenly flooded an under construction tunnel at a hydropower project in Chamoli district, officials said on Friday. Rescue teams are continuing their search for three workers who remain missing.
The incident occurred on Thursday at Mayapur near Pipalkoti, where landslides and ground subsidence caused debris and a large volume of water to enter the tunnel. The flooding reportedly filled nearly half of the underground passage, trapping several workers inside.
District Disaster Management Officer N K Joshi said 22 people were working inside the tunnel when the incident occurred. Rescue teams managed to bring 19 workers out during overnight operations, but seven of them later succumbed to their injuries. Efforts are now focused on locating the remaining three workers.
The deceased have been identified as Pradeep Singh Pawar from Tehri, Mukesh from Chamoli, Durlabh Sharma from Bihar, Vijay and Jitendra Kumar from Jharkhand, and Lokeshwar and Bhuneshwar, whose native places were yet to be confirmed.
Those rescued with injuries were shifted to Gopeshwar District Hospital for medical treatment.
Rescue operations have continued despite challenging conditions inside the tunnel, which remains partially flooded. Six rescue personnel have entered the structure as teams work to clear water and debris and reach areas where the missing workers could be trapped.
Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Uttarakhand Police are jointly involved in the operation.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reached Pipalkoti by helicopter to take stock of the rescue efforts and assess the situation at the site.
District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar, who was present at the location, directed officials to mobilise all available resources to accelerate the search for the missing workers.
Authorities are continuing to monitor the tunnel’s condition while rescue teams work cautiously to prevent further risks during the operation. The priority remains locating the three missing workers and safely bringing them out of the affected section.
