• Source:JND
HighLights
  1. Seven workers died, six missing in Chamoli tunnel landslide.
  2. Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project tunnel collapsed Thursday evening.
  3. Rescue operations resumed, CM Dhami monitoring situation closely.

Uttarakhand Tunnel Landslide: At least seven workers died and six are still missing after a massive landslide occurred in the tunnel of the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. The officials, while providing details, stated that a rescue operation is underway to find the missing workers. They further stated that ten injured workers are being treated at the nearby government hospitals.

Rescue Operation Resumes

While providing details about the rescue operation, NDRF Assistant Commandant Alok Zaira stated that the operation was halted in the night hours of Thursday due to challenging weather conditions. He further stated that the operation was halted due to a lack of oxygen inside the tunnel. However, Zaira assured that the operation will resume on Friday morning, adding that all necessary steps are being taken to rescue the stranded workers.

The incident occurred on Thursday at around 7.30 pm while over 25 workers, mostly from Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh, were working in the tunnel. As per the reports, the landslide occurred around 2 kilometers inside the project's 3.5-kilometer-long tunnel. Around 70 per cent of the work on this 444 MW project, being built by THDC-NTPC, has been completed.

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Eyewitness Recalls Accident

The eyewitnesses stated that water began filling the tunnel after a loud explosion, leading to panic among the workers. Nistra Bhingra, an eyewitness and resident of Jharkhand, recalled that the incident occurred while the work was underway to pack the tunnel at the gravity point. He stated that a huge amount of water and debris came from the upper part of the tunnel after a loud explosion.

The workers were swept away by the water and debris towards the outside of the tunnel but were unable to escape due to the slippery grounds.

What CM Dhami Said?

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in a post on X, assured that a rescue operation is underway to search the missing workers. "I myself am in constant contact with the officials and continuously gathering updates on the situation. Our topmost priority is to safely evacuate every person trapped inside the tunnel," Dhami said in his post.

Uttarakhand Landslide: Latest Updates

- CM Dhami arrived at the site and directed the officials to expadite the rescue operation. The chief minister informed that 19 workers have been rescued so far. 

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