Death toll in India hydropower tunnel disaster rises to 25 as rescue effort ends
Summary
A gas explosion in a hydropower tunnel in Sikkim, India, killed 25 workers. Rescue teams recovered all missing workers over four days and then ended the operations. Authorities are investigating the cause and planning safety improvements.Key Facts
- The explosion happened on Monday inside the Teesta Hydroelectric Project tunnel, 40 kilometers south of Gangtok.
- Methane gas buildup triggered the blast, trapping many workers underground.
- Rescue teams worked for four days amid dangerous poisonous gas conditions.
- The final death toll is 25 workers.
- A high-level government committee was set up to investigate the accident.
- The Teesta River basin is seismically active with fragile rock and underground gas pockets, making tunnel work risky.
- Construction accidents like this are common in India due to fast infrastructure growth and challenging geology.
- Past regional accidents include a 2023 tunnel collapse in Uttarakhand and a 2026 coal mine explosion in Meghalaya.
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