Several workers trapped after water, debris surge into Uttarakhand tunnel
At least 10 workers were feared trapped after a sudden surge of water and debris entered an under-construction tunnel at a hydropower project in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on Thursday evening.
The incident took place at a project site of Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd (THDC) in Pipalkoti, where 18 workers were reportedly inside the tunnel when the water suddenly rushed in.
Water, debris flood tunnel
According to Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar, a large volume of water and debris entered the tunnel at around 6.30 pm, trapping workers who were on duty at the time.
Ambulances and police teams have reached the construction site of the tunnel in Uttarakhand's Chamoli. Photo: X/Chamoli Police Uttarakhand.
The force of the water reportedly swept several workers towards the tunnel's exit.
Kumar said rescue efforts were underway and officials hoped to locate the remaining workers in the next few hours.
14-15 workers rescued
Around 14-15 workers have been rescued so far, the district magistrate said.
Massive tragedy in Uttarakhand! The THDC tunnel in Pipalkoti, Chamoli has collapsed! 18-19 workers were inside at the time of the incident. The tunnel is filled with heavy debris & water. pic.twitter.com/SlcthDRdO7
— Himalayan Hindu (@himalayanhindu) August 13, 2026
Ambulances and police teams have reached the project site, while specialised rescue teams are working to clear the debris and reach those who may still be trapped.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed to search through the debris.
CM orders rescue 'on war footing'
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed authorities to carry out rescue and relief operations on a war footing.
Teams from the NDRF and SDRF have been deployed to search through the debris. Photo: X/Chamoli Police Uttarakhand.
Dhami said he was receiving real-time updates from senior officials and that all necessary resources were being mobilised to assist the rescue operation.
Heavy rain raises concern
The rescue operation comes amid heavy rainfall in Chamoli over the past several days, with rising water levels already causing disruption in parts of the district.
On Monday, strong currents in a river swept away a bridge in the Niti Valley region.
A video of the incident showed a powerful flow of muddy water crashing into the metal bridge before the structure was uprooted and pushed towards the riverbank.
#BREAKING Cloudburst in Chamoli washed away the Tamak Nallah Bailey Bridge, severing connectivity to Niti Valley villages. One person remains missing while rescue teams conduct search operations.
— jarvis ☠️ (@Vishii14) August 11, 2026
@pushkardhami @chamolipolice @NDRFHQ @SDRFUttarakhand#ChamoliCloudburst pic.twitter.com/9lO0zVBPwy
Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation as rescue teams work to locate and evacuate any workers still trapped inside the tunnel.
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