Rescue on as 27 workers trapped in Sikkim tunnel after landslides

A precarious rescue operation is underway in Sikkim after landslides trapped 27 workers inside an under-construction tunnel for the Teesta hydroelectric project. The incident occurred around 3:40 pm on Monday at the Samardung site in the Namchi district.

Officials confirmed that 43 workers were initially inside the tunnel when the landslides struck. While 16 workers managed to exit the tunnel safely, the remaining 27 are still unaccounted for. The tunnel is part of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation's (NHPC) Teesta Stage VI project. Reports indicate that 19 workers from Patel Engineering Ltd. and six from NHPC were at the site when the disaster occurred.

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Nothing certain is known about the condition of the workers trapped inside. Three back-to-back rescue attempts have failed.

Rescue efforts have faced significant challenges. Three attempts to reach the trapped workers have so far failed, primarily due to adverse weather conditions and the difficult terrain. Sonam Doma Bhutia, the superintendent of Namchi district police, stated that bad weather and the terrain were the main obstacles.

Adding to the confusion, an initial press release from the Sikkim government suggested all 16 people trapped inside had been rescued. However, district collector Anupa Tamling later clarified that there had been a miscommunication between departments and that more individuals were still at the work site. The condition of the workers trapped inside remains uncertain.

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Three rescue attempts were made. But they failed mainly because of bad weather and terrain conditions.