A suspected gas explosion collapses part of a tunnel under construction at a hydropower project in India’s northeastern Himalayan state of Sikkim near the Chinese border, killing at least 10 workers and leaving others missing, according to officials and media reports citing local authorities. Reported death and missing figures vary by outlet: some sources cite 10 dead with 17 missing, while others report higher counts, including 11 dead with 14 missing and 12 dead with 13 missing. State Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang visits the site and says the blast is triggered by a build-up of methane gas. The explosion occurs on Monday in the tunnel near Samardung village, about 40 km from Gangtok, where workers are carrying out construction on the Teesta hydroelectric project, a 500-megawatt scheme. Multiple reports say rescuers have difficulty reaching those trapped due to hazardous conditions inside the damaged tunnel. Some workers escape, while several others are trapped, including some who reportedly enter the tunnel to help with rescue efforts after the blast. Survivors describe hearing a loud explosion followed by debris falling into the tunnel.
Explosion collapses tunnel at Sikkim hydropower project, leaving at least 10 dead and missing workers
A suspected gas explosion collapses part of a tunnel under construction at a hydropower project in India’s northeastern Himalayan state of Sikkim near the Chinese border, killing at least 10 workers a...
- A suspected gas explosion collapses a tunnel under construction at a hydropower project in Sikkim near the Chinese border.
- Officials say the incident occurs near Samardung village, about 40 km from Gangtok, during construction work on the Teesta hydroelectric project.
- Reported fatalities and missing numbers vary, with outlets citing at least 10 dead and between 13 and 17 missing.
- Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang says methane gas build-up triggers the explosion.
- Rescue teams face hazardous conditions inside the damaged tunnel and have struggled to reach trapped workers.
GUWAHATI, India (AP) — A suspected gas explosion collapsed part of a tunnel under construction at a hydropower project in India’s northeastern Himalayan state of Sikkim, leaving at least 12 people dead and 13 missing, officials said Tuesday.
1 month agoState Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, who visited the disaster site near the Chinese border, said the explosion was triggered by a build-up of methane gas.
1 month agoGUWAHATI, India — A suspected gas explosion on Monday triggered a collapse inside a tunnel that was under construction at a hydropower project in India’s northeastern Himalayan state of Sikkim, leaving at least 11 people dead and 14 missing, officials said on Tuesday. State Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, who visited the disaster site near the Chinese border, said the explosion was triggered by a build-up of methane gas. At least 27 people were trapped, including some who entered the tunnel to help with rescue efforts after the blast, while two workers escaped, Tamang said. The blast ripped through the tunnel at Samardung village, about 40 kilometers from the state capital, Gangtok, where multiple workers were carrying out construction work on the 500-megawatt Teesta hydroelectric project, civil official Anupama Tamling said. Survivors told authorities they heard a loud explosion before debris came crashing through the tunnel, trapping dozens inside, Tamling said. Officials had recovered 11 bodies on Tuesday while rescue teams including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) ra
1 month agoRescue teams have been struggling to reach the 17 people trapped because of hazardous conditions inside the tunnel.
1 month agoA suspected gas explosion on Monday triggered a collapse inside a tunnel that was under construction at a hydropower project in India's northeastern Himalayan state of Sikkim, leaving at least 11 people dead and 14 missing, officials said on Tuesday.
1 month agoA suspected gas explosion triggered a collapse inside an under-construction tunnel at a hydropower project in India's northeastern Himalayan state of Sikkim, near the Chinese border, leaving at least 10 people dead and 17 others missing, officials said on Tuesday.
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