Death toll in Uttarakhand tunnel tragedy rises to 10 as two more bodies recovered
Two more bodies were recovered from an under-construction tunnel in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, raising the death toll to 10 five days after a landslide trapped 22 workers. The operation, involving multiple agencies, ended after six days of search and rescue.
Key takeaways
- Two more bodies were recovered from the Chamoli district tunnel, increasing the death toll to 10.
- The six-day rescue operation involved hundreds of personnel from multiple national agencies and the state police, with pumping systems installed to drain water.
- The workers were employed by Hindustan Construction Company, and a magisterial inquiry has been ordered by the state government.
What Happened
The incident occurred at the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project’s underground tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. Workers were concreting the lining of the tunnel when a landslide trapped them on August 13. Rescue teams engaged in a six-day search operation, aided by water drainage and cutting submerged machinery, to reach those still missing.
On August 18, the bodies of two missing workers were recovered, bringing the overall death toll to 10. Those recovered on Tuesday were identified as Chetan Poyam from Chhattisgarh and Lukas Topno from Jharkhand. The rescue effort involved roughly 200 personnel and included the National Disaster Response Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, the Army, the Central Industrial Security Force, and police units. Earlier, 12 workers were rescued and seven bodies recovered; an eighth body was recovered on August 15.
The workers were employed by Hindustan Construction Company. Officials noted that water and debris, along with cement, heavy equipment, and mud, complicated the rescue work, prompting the use of new pumping systems to drain water from the tunnel.
Why It Matters
The tragedy highlights the risks involved in underground construction projects and the challenges of large-scale rescue in submerged and debris-filled environments. The involvement of multiple national and security agencies underscores the seriousness of the incident and the breadth of resources deployed to retrieve workers.
Background
The Tehri Hydro Development Corporation India Limited’s Vishnugad-Pipalkoti project is the site of the incident. The initial situation involved 22 workers trapped after a landslide during tunnel concreting that contractors were conducting as part of the hydroelectric project’s water discharge pathway construction.
Key Facts
- Location: Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand
- Date of incident: August 13
- Date of two more recoveries: August 18
- Death toll after recovery: 10
- National/central agencies involved: National Disaster Response Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Army, Central Industrial Security Force, police
- Rescued workers previously: 12; bodies recovered previously: 7 by August 15
- Identified of two recovered bodies: Chetan Poyam (Chhattisgarh), Lukas Topno (Jharkhand)
- Employer: Hindustan Construction Company
- Magisterial inquiry ordered by state government
What Happens Next
The state government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. Details on the inquiry’s timeline or any potential findings were not provided in the material.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
Related stories
Fire at Nature Cure Hospital in Guntur; no casualties reported
Hawaiʻi Island hit by Tropical Storm Lala floods and power outages
Kerala tightens loan rules for local bodies on revenue projects
