Sikkim NHPC tunnel collapse: 12 dead, up to 15 workers still feared trapped | Today’s news
Search and rescue operations resumed on Wednesday at the collapsed NHPC tunnel in Sikkim’s Namchi district, where 12 bodies were found and 13 to 15 workers are still feared trapped, according to ANI.
The accident occurred on Monday afternoon in the ADIT-3 tunnel of the Teesta Stage VI hydroelectric project at Samardung in Jholungey after a sudden explosion of methane triggered a collapse, NHPC said, according to The Hindu. The collapse and subsequent landslide sealed off the entrance to the tunnel, trapping about 25 workers inside.
Rescue operations are being carried out by teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Sikkim Police, Fire and Rescue Services and coal mining experts. Heavy rainfall, waterlogging and the risk of gas accumulation inside the tunnel make operations difficult. Chemical and gas assessment teams have also been deployed to monitor conditions and ensure the safety of first responders.
PM, Sikkim CM announces relief
Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Tuesday announced ex gratia of ₹4 million for the families of those who lost their lives and ₹50,000 for each injured worker. He also said that a special commission would be set up to investigate the cause of the incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Chief Minister and announced more ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the families of the deceased and ₹50 thousand for the injured.
The 500 MW Teesta Stage VI run-of-river hydroelectric project, slated for commissioning in 2029, is among several large hydroelectric projects in Sikkim that have come under increased safety scrutiny due to the fragile seismic terrain of the state.
