10 dead in Sikkim tunnel accident; rescue operations underway.
Gangtok: Police stated on Tuesday that ten people died after a tunnel under construction collapsed due to a landslide in Sikkim’s Namchi district the previous day.
An official from Namchi district said the death toll could rise as search and rescue operations are ongoing. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang stated that the tunnel of the NHPC Teesta Stage VI hydroelectric project at Samardung in Jholunge collapsed due to a landslide.
He said that a total of 25 people, including project officials and staff, were trapped when the ADIT-3 tunnel suddenly collapsed on Monday.
The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to him and inquired about the rescue operations.
Namchi police said in a statement, “Ten bodies have been recovered as of 9:30 AM on Tuesday. Seven of the deceased have been identified, while three unidentified bodies have been sent to the District Hospital in Singtam and STNM Hospital.”
The statement noted that among the seven identified deceased, four were from Jalpaiguri in West Bengal; one each was from Assam, Punjab, and Dehradun (Uttarakhand); and one was a resident of Namchi.
Tamang said in a statement, “My deepest condolences go out to the families of the employees who lost their lives. In this hour of grief, the entire state’s sympathies and prayers are with the bereaved families, and we stand firmly with them during this difficult time.”
The Chief Minister said he is closely monitoring the ongoing rescue operation.
Tamang stated that teams from the Namchi district administration, Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA), Sikkim Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire and Emergency Services, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)—arriving from Pakyong and Siliguri—along with other specialized agencies, were working continuously to retrieve the bodies of the remaining employees trapped inside the tunnel. The Chief Minister stated on ‘X’, “Following the tragic incident in the under-construction tunnel of the NHPC Teesta Stage VI Hydroelectric Project at Samardung, Jholunge in Namchi district, Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to me and inquired about the situation and the ongoing rescue operations.”
Tamang added, “His (PM’s) concern and empathy for the affected workers and their families, along with the assurance of all possible assistance from the Government of India, have provided great strength and solace to the people of Sikkim during this difficult time.”
The Chief Minister mentioned that Shah spoke to him to review the situation and the ongoing rescue operations.
He said, “I briefed him on the ongoing rescue operations and the efforts being made by the state government in coordination with the NDRF and other relevant agencies.”
Tamang stated that Shah expressed deep concern over the incident and assured all possible assistance from the Centre.
He also thanked the Union Home Minister for his continued support and concern for the people of Sikkim during this challenging time.
The Chief Minister said he has instructed officials to provide all possible assistance, expedite rescue operations, and ensure that strict safety standards are adhered to throughout the entire operation.
District officials had reported on Monday that the tunnel entrance was blocked by a landslide in the afternoon, trapping approximately 27 workers inside the under-construction tunnel amidst fears of a gas leak.
They noted that the presence of gas inside the tunnel hampered rescue efforts; several personnel felt dizzy and lost consciousness while attempting to reach the trapped workers.
They stated that the gas is believed to be emanating naturally from subsurface layers or rock formations that were disturbed by the landslide.
