Chamoli, August 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
At least seven workers were killed and several others injured after a sudden surge of water and debris entered an under-construction tunnel at a Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd (THDC) project site in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, officials said on Friday.
The deceased have been identified as Pradeep Singh Pawar, Mukesh, Durlabh Singh, Vijay, Jitendra Kumar, Lokeshwar and Bhuneshwar.
According to Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar, a large quantity of water and debris entered the tunnel around 6.30 p.m. on Thursday while construction work was underway.
At least 25 workers were present at the Pipalkoti project site when the sudden influx occurred. The force of the water, carrying debris, swept several workers towards the tunnel’s exit and caused extensive damage.
The State Disaster Management Authority said 13 workers had been rescued so far, while National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams continued intensive search operations in difficult conditions to locate those who may still be trapped.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is scheduled to visit the accident site on Friday to assess the situation and review the ongoing rescue and relief operations. He is also expected to interact with officials involved in the operation.
Dhami will visit Gopeshwar District Hospital to meet the injured workers and enquire about their condition. He will also inspect the medical facilities and treatment arrangements being provided to the victims.
The Chief Minister had directed officials to conduct rescue and relief operations on a war footing and said he was continuously monitoring developments through real-time updates from senior officers.
Local MLA Lakhpat Butola described the incident as deeply tragic and said the administration was concentrating on the rescue operation.
“This is a deeply tragic incident. The entire administrative team and all my colleagues have reached the spot, and our priority is to provide every possible support to those engaged in the rescue efforts,” Butola said.
The accident occurred amid heavy rainfall in Chamoli over the past several days. The region has witnessed the impact of persistent monsoon activity, with rising river levels in Niti Valley earlier this week sweeping away a bridge.
A video of the Niti Valley incident showed a powerful flow of water mixed with mud striking a metal bridge and washing it away within seconds.
After his Chamoli visit, Dhami is expected to reach Haridwar around 12.30 p.m. to attend a ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’ programme at Premnagar Ashram.
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