Chamoli tunnel accident: 4 dead, 18 rescued after sudden water, debris surge traps workers

Rescue teams have pulled out 18 workers from the tunnel so far and taken them to the district hospital for treatment. Officials said three to four of the rescued workers are in serious condition.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are still inside the project area, working to reach workers who may be trapped in the tunnel.

The accident occurred at around 7 pm when a sudden influx of water caused a cavity to form inside the tunnel, bringing mud and debris with it. Officials said around 20 to 22 workers were inside the tunnel when the incident happened.

Four bodies found : NDRF Team Commander Amrit Lal Meena said the rescue teams found a large amount of water inside the tunnel when they reached the site. Water was also entering from the sides, making the operation difficult.

"After our team arrived and began the operation, there was a massive volume of water in the tunnel. The water level has risen significantly since then. Our personnel, using specialised equipment, have recovered four bodies from the water so far. The rescue operation is still underway and will continue until everyone is retrieved," he told ANI.

THDC Executive Director (Projects) Kumar Sharad said the workers had been carrying out work at the hydroelectric project when the accident took place.

THDC Executive Director (Projects) Kumar Sharad described the incident as a "major accident" at the hydroelectric project in Pipalkoti, Vishnughat. 

He said debris collapsed into the tail-race tunnel after a sudden influx of water, trapping around 20 to 22 workers.

He further said NDRF and SDRF teams have been deployed and have rescued 18 workers, who have been taken to the district hospital for treatment. Three to four of them were in serious condition, he said.

"Our rescue teams are working to bring out the remaining individuals as soon as possible," Sharad said, adding that the THDC is providing all possible assistance to the workers.

He said the accident took place around 7 pm after a cavity formed due to the sudden influx of water. He added that officials had considered stopping work because continuous rain had been forecast for several days, but the incident occurred suddenly despite safety precautions being followed.

Rescue teams face water and debris : The rescue operation has involved several agencies as teams try to clear the tunnel and reach those still inside.

THDC Project Head Ajay Verma said rescue workers faced problems after a machine loader sent into the tunnel got stuck in the water and was damaged.

"According to the update we have till now, a total of 22 people were working there. Our teams have gone inside to rescue the remaining four to five people, and the machine loader we had sent got stuck in the water and got damaged, so we are sending help for them in another way," he said.

The Chamoli administration has also brought in a team of 20 Garhwal Scouts from Joshimath with specialised equipment and a dog squad. 

The Army, the ITBP, the NDRF, the SDRF and the local police are working along with the district administration to clear the debris and search the tunnel.

CM orders rescue operation on war footing : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is monitoring the operation from the State Disaster Management Authority office in Dehradun.

"Our topmost priority is to safely evacuate every person trapped inside the tunnel. Teams from the NDRF, the SDRF, the district administration, the local police, the Health Department and the Disaster Management are all on-site, and instructions have been issued to carry out operations on a war footing," he said.

Dhami also spoke to workers who were taken to the Pipalkoti hospital and said their condition is stable. Emergency helicopter transfers and movement to higher medical centres in Srinagar or Rishikesh have been kept ready for workers who need more advanced treatment.

The chief minister said he has talked to the chief ministers of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh about workers from their states who were involved in the accident.

"I spoke to the injured workers admitted to the Pipalkoti hospital; their condition is stable. I have also informed the chief ministers of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh that their citizens, those injured or involved in the incident, are receiving treatment here. I have shared this information with them and also spoken to the CMS (chief medical superintendents). We are in constant communication with the local Municipal Council chairman and other public representatives," Dhami told reporters.