Seven people died and two others remained trapped after a sudden rush of water and debris entered a tunnel at a Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd (THDC) project in Pipalkoti, Chamoli district, on Thursday, officials said. Rescue teams were working to reach the trapped workers as operations continued at the site.
The State Disaster Management Authority said 22 people were on duty at the tunnel when the flow of water surged inside, and strong currents swept several workers toward the tunnel exit. Fourteen workers were injured, the statement added, and teams are searching through debris to locate those still missing.
District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said the deluge struck at about 6.30 pm while construction work was under way, when a significant volume of water and debris entered the tunnel. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) units have been deployed to assist local teams in the search and clearance of rubble.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered rescue and relief efforts to be mounted on a war footing and said he was receiving real-time updates from senior officers. “I spoke to the injured workers admitted to hospital; their condition is stable,” he said, adding that he had informed the chief ministers of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh that their residents affected by the incident were receiving treatment and that he had been in contact with the chief medical superintendent.
Local MLA Lakhpat Butola called the episode “a deeply tragic incident,” and said the entire administrative team had arrived at the scene and was prioritising support for rescue personnel. The district has seen heavy rainfall in recent days; on Monday, strong river currents swept away a metal bridge in Niti Valley, a video of which showed a mass of water and mud overturning the structure within seconds.
Rescue efforts were ongoing, with officials focusing on reaching the two workers still believed to be trapped and stabilising the injured at nearby hospitals.
Original Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/several-workers-trapped-as-water-debris-enter-tunnel-in-uttarakhands-chamoli-11906228#publisher=newsstand
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Publish Date: 2026-08-14 04:29:00
