10 dead, 17 missing after Himalayan tunnel disaster in India

A suspected gas explosion tore through an under-construction tunnel at the Teesta Stage VI Hydroelectric Project in Sikkim’s Namchi district, killing 10 people and leaving 17 missing. The blast hit the site at Samardung village, about 40 kilometers from Gangtok and close to the Chinese border, in terrain where a collapse can turn deadly in minutes.

Local police chief Sonam Dolma said, "We have recovered 10 bodies so far and 17 others are feared trapped." Rescue teams from local police, district authorities, the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force moved toward the tunnel entrance with oxygen cylinders because the air and debris inside were hazardous. The narrow access route, saturated ground and risk of more cave-ins slowed the effort as crews tried to reach the trapped workers.

The casualty count shifted repeatedly as rescuers searched through the tunnel and adjoining structure. Later updates put the toll at 11 dead and 14 missing, and then 12 dead and 13 missing. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang and assured support from the Centre as the operation intensified.

Sikkim has made hydropower and road building central to its development plans. Its steep slopes, heavy rains and unstable geology make large projects especially risky. The Teesta River basin has already seen repeated damage tied to hydropower infrastructure. International Rivers documented a major landslide on August 20, 2024, that badly damaged the 510 MW NHPC Teesta-V hydropower station.