Tragic Incident at Uttarakhand Hydroelectric Project: Six Workers Dead, 14 Injured in Tunnel Surge
A tragic incident occurred at a hydroelectric project in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, where six workers lost their lives and 14 others were injured due to a surge of water and debris in an under-construction tunnel. Reports indicated that 22 workers were trapped inside the tunnel during the incident, with rescue teams managing to bring out 20 workers, of whom six were declared dead. The injured workers were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, while the status of the remaining two workers was unknown as rescue operations continued at the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited’s project in the Pipalkoti area.
Uttarakhand chief secretary Anand Vardhan mentioned that initial reports suggested that multiple workers were trapped inside the tunnel following the influx of water and debris. Various teams, including the police, State Disaster Response Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, and the Army, were deployed to the site to assist in the rescue efforts. The National Disaster Response Force team from Rudraprayag was also dispatched to Pipalkoti, with Chamoli district magistrate Gaurav Kumar overseeing the rescue and relief operations.
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his concern over the incident and urged all agencies to conduct the operation with urgency. Vinod Kumar Suman, the secretary of disaster management and rehabilitation, mentioned that emergency operation centers were closely monitoring the situation and additional teams would be deployed if necessary. The authorities are working tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of the workers affected by this tragic event.