The incident took place in the south of Sikkim, India, on Monday, July 20, at 1:04 p.m. local time
Credit: AP Photo
NEED TO KNOW
- An explosion occurred at a hydropower project tunnel in South Sikkim, India, on Monday, July 20
- 12 people were killed in the blast, while 13 others are still missing, as rescue teams race against time to find the trapped workers
- Dangerous conditions have complicated rescue efforts, with teams only able to enter the tunnel for 15 minutes at a time on Tuesday
12 people have died, and 13 others are missing after an explosion in a hydroelectric tunnel in India.
The incident took place at the state-owned National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Teesta Stage-VI Hydroelectric Project in Samardung in the south of the state of Sikkim on Monday, July 20, at 1:04 p.m. local time, according to a post by NHPC.
The tunnel, which is still under construction, is designed to carry water from the nearby Teesta River to a hydropower plant’s turbines, according to the BBC.
“A sudden release/burst of suspected methane gas—trapped or embedded within the rock strata—took place inside the Head Race Tunnel (HRT), which was under construction, resulting in the generation of dense smoke and toxic gases,” the NHPC said in the statement, which was released on Tuesday, July 21 and translated from the original Tamil.
Credit: Government of Sikkim via AP
It said reports indicated that 25 workers were trapped inside the tunnel and that 10 people had died. However, the Government of Sikkim reported that the death toll had risen to 12 in a subsequent Facebook post.
“Of the 25 people who were trapped, we have recovered 12 bodies so far, and teams are working to locate the 13 other men,” Superintendent of Police Sonam D Bhutia told the BBC.
There were 27 people working in the tunnel at the time of the explosion, but two managed to escape, per AP. Officials said that six power utility officials then entered the tunnel to assist with rescue efforts but became trapped themselves.
State Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said the explosion was believed to have been caused by a buildup of methane.
As toxic levels of gas have been detected, teams wearing oxygen gear raced to find survivors on Tuesday, the outlet reported. However, rescuers could only enter the site for 15 minutes at a time due to dangerous conditions, officials said.
Vivek Kumar from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) told AP that the incident took place around 0.9 miles from the entrance of the tunnel.
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NHPC said it was working closely with the NDRF, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local authorities, and other emergency agencies in the rescue operations.
Credit: Government of Sikkim via AP
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It added that its engineering teams are also working “around the clock” to stabilize the tunnel environment.
“A detailed investigation will be conducted to ascertain the cause of the incident,” NHPC said. “We remain committed and are extending full support to the rescue agencies and the affected families.”
Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said he had been to the scene in a Facebook post. “The State Government will constitute a high-level enquiry committee to ascertain the exact cause of this unfortunate incident,” he added.
“My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the workers who have tragically lost their lives,” he said. “In this moment of profound grief, the thoughts and prayers of the entire State are with the bereaved families. We stand in solidarity with them and remain committed to extending every possible support during this difficult time.”
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