Sikkim Tunnel Tragedy: 20 Dead In Samardung Collapse, Rescue On For 5 Still Trapped
Sikkim Tunnel Tragedy: 20 Dead In Samardung Collapse, Rescue On For 5 Still Trapped
Namchi, July 22: Sikkim is mourning one of its worst industrial disasters as the death toll in the Samardung tunnel gas explosion rose to 20, with five workers still trapped inside the under-construction tunnel of the NHPC Teesta Stage VI Hydroelectric Project in Namchi district. Rescue operations entered their third day on Wednesday.
The disaster struck on Monday afternoon when a sudden burst of methane gas, suspected to have been trapped inside the rock strata, triggered an explosion inside the ADIT-3 tunnel at Samardung, Jholungey. The blast filled the tunnel with dense fumes and toxic gases, trapping 25 people, including workers and project officers, according to an NHPC statement.
12 Bodies Recovered, 7 Identified So Far
Namchi Superintendent of Police Sonam D Bhutia confirmed that 20 of the 25 trapped inside the tunnel have died. Twelve bodies have been recovered so far, of which seven have been identified — four workers from Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, one each from Assam, Punjab and Dehradun in Uttarakhand, and one resident of Namchi.
The presence of toxic gas has made the rescue operation extremely dangerous, with some rescuers reportedly feeling dizzy and losing consciousness while trying to reach the trapped workers. Teams from the NDRF (Pakyong and Siliguri units), SDRF, Sikkim Police, Fire and Emergency Services and the district administration are engaged in the operation, and a special mining rescue team from West Bengal has also arrived at the site.
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