Seven people were declared dead after being rescued from an under-construction tunnel of the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited (THDC) at Pipalkoti in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand and brought to the District Hospital in Gopeshwar, officials said on Friday. The workers were trapped after water and debris entered the tunnel.
The rescue operation is still underway and will continue until everyone is retrieved,” Meena told ANI on Thursday. Rescue operations by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are underway to evacuate the remaining workers trapped in the tunnel. “After our team arrived and started the operation, there was a massive volume of water inside the tunnel. Our personnel, using specialised equipment, have recovered four bodies from the water so far.
THDC Executive Director (Projects) Kumar Sharad said around 20 to 22 workers were inside the tunnel when the accident occurred.
NDRF team commander Amrit Lal Meena said a large volume of water had entered the tunnel by the time the rescue team reached the site, with water also seeping in from the sides.
The water level has risen significantly since then.
Rescue Operation Underway for Injured Workers
Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed to assist in the ongoing rescue operation. So far, 18 workers have been successfully rescued and transported to the district hospital for medical treatment. Among those rescued, three to four workers are reported to be in serious condition.
