A portion of an under-construction tunnel in Sikkim’s Himalayan region collapsed on Monday after a gas explosion, resulting in at least a dozen fatalities and leaving more than a dozen workers missing. The incident occurred approximately 1.5 kilometers inside the tunnel, which is being developed as part of a hydroelectric power project.
The tunnel is designed to transport water from the Teesta River to power generation turbines and is managed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation, a state-owned enterprise. Authorities have identified methane as the likely cause of the explosion. The naturally occurring gas, which can become trapped in underground rock formations, ignited when tunneling operations exposed it to a confined space containing an ignition source.
Twenty-seven workers were inside the tunnel at the time of the collapse. Two individuals managed to exit following the explosion, while 25 remained trapped. Recovery teams have retrieved 12 bodies thus far, with identification confirmed for seven victims. The deceased include one Sikkim resident and migrants from West Bengal, Uttarakhand, and Assam. Authorities indicate that definitive causes of death will be determined through post-mortem examinations.
Rescue efforts are concentrated in a 200-meter zone identified as the most probable location of the remaining individuals. The National Disaster Response Force continues active search operations. State leadership has established a dedicated investigation team to examine the circumstances surrounding the accident and determine accountability.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI