• Source:JND
HighLights
  1. Twenty-seven workers trapped in Sikkim tunnel after landslide and suspected gas leak.
  2. Rescue teams face challenges due to methane gas, narrow tunnel, and poor visibility.
  3. Specialised teams and ambulances are on site conducting rescue operations.

At least 27 workers remain trapped inside the Jholunge (Samardung) audit tunnel of the Teesta Hydroelectric Project Phase-6 in Sikkim's Namchi district after a landslide blocked its entrance and triggered a suspected gas leak on Monday afternoon. The tunnel, under construction in the Mamring area of East Sikkim, is being built as part of a highway project. 

According to district collector Anupa Tamling said the exact number of workers trapped inside the Samardung tunnel was still being verified and could be higher or lower than the current estimate.

Tamling said the district administration received the distress call around 3:40 pm, and rescue teams were rushed to the scene.

"It is estimated that 21 workers of contractor Patel Engineering and six of NHPC are stuck in the tunnel. Rescue operations are being carried out by teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), SDRF, district police and the Fire and Emergency Services. A specialised rescue team from neighbouring West Bengal has also joined the operation with gas-protective equipment for rescuers," she said.

"The rescue operation is becoming increasingly difficult due to methane gas exposure, the narrow tunnel and poor visibility," she added.

The gas is believed to be naturally occurring and may have been released from underground sources or rock formations disturbed by the landslide.

According to preliminary information, the landslide blocked a section of the tunnel, after which a gas leak was detected, making it difficult for rescue teams to reach the trapped workers. After receiving information about the incident, personnel from the Sikkim Police, State Fire and Emergency Services, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and other agencies rushed to the site and launched a joint rescue operation.

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The rescue operation has been complicated by the presence of gas inside the tunnel, with several personnel experiencing dizziness and losing consciousness while attempting to reach the trapped workers, officials said.

According to the administration, the rescued workers are from different states across the country. Their identities had not been released as of the time of writing this report. Officials said their names would be disclosed only after all formalities, including medical examinations, were completed.

Ambulances have been kept on standby, while rescuers equipped with gas masks and other protective gear continue efforts to reach the trapped workers.

An investigation into the incident has been launched. The administration said a team of technical experts will determine the exact cause of the landslide and the suspected gas leak inside the tunnel. Security has been tightened at the project site, and movement in the area has been restricted.

According to a police officer, teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the police, and Fire and Emergency Services carried out the rescue operation.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has placed Gangtok, Soreng and Gyalshing under a yellow alert for July 20, forecasting heavy rainfall in the region. Heavy rain has also been forecast for Gangtok until July 22.


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