Uttarakhand landslide: water, debris flood hydropower tunnel killing 7

Chamoli: Seven workers were killed, and 14 were injured after a landslide triggered a sudden surge of water and debris into an under-construction tunnel of the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. Around 22 workers were inside the tunnel when the incident occurred near Mayapur in the Pipalkoti area at about 7 pm on Thursday. Fourteen workers were rescued, while two remained missing as search operations continued, according to the latest reports.

The accident occurred inside a two-kilometre-long Tail Race Tunnel (TRT), where a cavity formed following the landslide, allowing water and debris to flood the structure. The sudden flow trapped workers underground and created difficult conditions for the rescue teams, with water continuing to seep into the tunnel.

THDC India Limited owns the project, while Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) is carrying out the construction work. Rescue efforts involved multiple agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, the police, and other emergency personnel. HCC also deployed machinery to assist the operation.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed authorities to conduct the rescue operation on a war footing. Several rescued workers were taken for medical treatment, with seriously injured workers referred for higher-level care.

The tragedy occurred during excavation work inside the tunnel, when a powerful surge of water and debris entered the passage following the landslide. Rescue teams continued searching for the missing workers while recovering bodies from the waterlogged tunnel.

The incident has prompted a large-scale emergency response at the project site, with specialised equipment being used to clear debris and reach the remaining workers. Rescue operations were continuing as authorities worked to account for everyone who had been inside the tunnel.