Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Seven people were dead in a under-construction Samardung tunnel collapse of the NHPC Teesta Stage VI Hydroelectric Project in Sikkim’s Namchi district. Rescue operations were going in full swing, authorities said.
According to the latest official update, the bodies of the deceased have been shifted to Singtam District Hospital, STNM Hospital in Gangtok and Namchi District Hospital.
Search and rescue teams are continuing efforts to evacuate workers believed to be trapped inside the tunnel at Samardung in the Jholungey area of Namchi district.
Officials said the operation remains underway with multiple agencies working in coordination under difficult conditions.
The latest development comes a day after an emergency unfolded inside the under-construction tunnel following a landslide, which reportedly triggered a suspected gas leak and blocked portions of the tunnel, complicating rescue efforts.
Earlier, authorities announced that 16 workers trapped inside the tunnel had been rescued safely after a massive multi-agency operation. The workers were evacuated from the tunnel near Mamring, close to Rangpo, and shifted to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Rangpo for medical examination and treatment.
However, fresh official information released on Tuesday confirmed seven fatalities in connection with the incident.
Authorities have not yet clarified whether the deceased were among the previously rescued workers or rescue personnel, and further details are awaited.
The rescue operation has involved personnel from the Sikkim Police, Fire and Emergency Services, district administration and other emergency response agencies. Rescue teams have been working round-the-clock amid concerns over hazardous gases and unstable conditions inside the tunnel.
