Chamoli tunnel mishap: Another worker's body found, death toll nine
Challenging search and rescue efforts continue as teams battle debris and sludge following landslide-induced flooding at Vishnugad-Pipalkoti hydroelectric projec
The body of a worker trapped when water flooded into a tunnel five days ago was found on Tuesday, 18 August, taking to nine the death toll from the accident at the hydropower project.
Another worker remains missing, officials said. Twenty-two people were caught in the three-kilometre tunnel, part of the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation's Vishnugad-Pipalkoti hydroelectric project, when a landslide led to debris and water flooding in on 13 August.
Chamoli District Disaster Management Officer N.K. Joshi said that the body was found during the search operation conducted by various agencies and has been sent to the district hospital in Gopeshwar, administrative headquarters of the Chamoli district. Efforts were on for its identification.
The death toll from the accident—caused by a landslide that filled the tunnel with debris and water—has now reached nine, with one worker still missing. Twelve other workers were injured in the accident.
Officials said that the rescue operation is on to locate the missing worker. A joint team comprising the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), local police, and other agencies has been continuously conducting search and rescue operations since 13 August.
Officials said that the search operation is going on despite the presence of significant sludge inside the tunnel, and all teams are coordinating to carry out the mission amid adverse conditions. The task has been complicated by the sludge that is still blocking the way, they added.
They added that the accumulated debris and sludge is being removed, and water is being pumped out rapidly using available resources—including suction pumps and other equipment—to facilitate the search for the missing worker.
Chamoli District Information Officer Dheeraj Karki said three of the five JCB machines stuck inside the three-kilometre-long tunnel during the accident have been retrieved so far, which has accelerated the search for the missing workers.