Seven killed after water, debris flood tunnel in India's Uttarakhand state

At least seven people were killed and several others injured after a sudden influx of water and debris entered an under-construction tunnel in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, officials said on Friday. 

The deceased have been identified as Pradeep Singh Pawar, Mukesh, Durlabh Singh, Vijay, Jitendra Kumar, Lokeshwar, and Bhuneshwar. 

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is scheduled to visit the tunnel accident site to review the ongoing rescue and relief operations. During his visit, he will assess the situation on the ground and interact with officials involved in the rescue efforts. 

The Chief Minister will also meet those injured in the accident and enquire about their well-being at the Gopeshwar District Hospital. In addition, he will inspect the medical facilities and treatment arrangements being provided to the victims. Later in the day, Dhami is expected to reach Haridwar at around 12.30 pm to attend a 'Partition Horrors Remembrance Day' programme at Premnagar Ashram. 

The State Disaster Management Authority said that 13 workers have been rescued so far. 

At least 25 workers were present at the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd (THDC) project site in Pipalkoti when a sudden surge of water entered the tunnel. The strong currents, accompanied by debris, swept several workers towards the tunnel's exit, causing panic and extensive damage. 

Calling the incident extremely tragic, local MLA Lakhpat Butola said the administration was fully focused on the rescue operation. 

"This is a deeply tragic incident. The entire administrative team and all my colleagues have reached the spot, and our priority is to provide every possible support to those engaged in the rescue efforts," he said. 

Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said that a large quantity of water and debris entered the tunnel at around 6.30 pm on Thursday when construction work was underway. 

Chief Minister Dhami had also directed officials to carry out rescue and relief operations on a war footing and said he has been continuously monitoring the situation through real-time updates from senior officers. 

Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were conducting intensive search operations amid challenging conditions to locate the trapped workers. 

The accident comes amid heavy rainfall in the district over the past several days. Earlier this week, rising river levels in Chamoli's Niti Valley swept away a bridge, highlighting the impact of persistent monsoon activity across the region. A video of that incident showed a massive flow of water mixed with mud crashing into the metal structure and washing it away within seconds. 

Ind-Asian News Service