Twelve workers are dead and 13 remain missing following a tunnel collapse at a hydroelectric project in India’s Sikkim state. Triggered by a sudden methane gas explosion 1.5 kilometers inside the tunnel, the incident has prompted a high-stakes search-and-rescue operation as authorities investigate the cause of the disaster.
The Explosion and Rescue Effort
The collapse occurred on Monday inside an under-construction tunnel designed to carry water from the Teesta River to a hydropower plant’s turbines. The project is part of a larger infrastructure development in the Himalayan state being developed by the state-owned National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC). According to the NHPC, the accident was triggered by a sudden burst of suspected methane gas trapped/embedded inside the rocks which led to [an] explosion generating dense fumes and toxic gases
.
There were 27 people working in different sections inside the tunnel at the time of the incident. While two individuals managed to escape the blast, 25 others were trapped in the confined space. As of Wednesday morning, recovery efforts have confirmed 12 fatalities, with 13 workers still unaccounted for. Superintendent of Police Sonam D Bhutia confirmed the toll to the BBC, noting that search teams are working specifically to locate the 13 other men. The police have identified seven of the deceased victims thus far, noting that the group includes one resident from Sikkim and several migrant workers from the states of Assam, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. Officials stated that the final cause of death for these individuals will be ascertained following a post-mortem examination.
The rescue operation is currently focused on a specific 200-meter zone where the remaining trapped individuals are believed to be located. NDRF officer Mohsen Shahedi stated that the operation remains ongoing. Photographs released on the Sikkim state government’s Facebook page depicted rescuers wearing orange hazard suits, utilizing ropes, oxygen cylinders, and other emergency equipment unloaded from vehicles to navigate the site. State disaster management official Rajiv Roka noted that the survival chances for the trapped workers were slim
, as rescuers have had to battle the fumes that made their task difficult.
Official Investigations and Safety Concerns
The incident has drawn immediate scrutiny regarding safety protocols at the project site, located in the village of Samardung. The Sikkim government has officially attributed the catastrophe to methane gas combustion
. A government official explained that methane is a naturally occurring gas that can sometimes be trapped underground; if tunnelling releases it into a confined space and it comes into contact with a spark or another ignition source, it can ignite or explode.
In response to the tragedy, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has established a special investigation team. We have engaged a team of experts to find out what exactly happened and how. We will take action on the basis of the findings,
Tamang told reporters. The NHPC stated that the tally of 25 trapped individuals includes the 10 bodies retrieved.
Separate Incident in China
In a separate development, a tunnel collapse occurred at a hydropower station in east China’s Jiangxi province. Local publicity authorities reported that four workers were killed in the collapse on Tuesday. The incident took place around 2:00 a.m. in Suichuan County at a hydropower station being built by Jiangxi Water and Hydropower Construction. According to local authorities, three of the workers died at the scene, while a fourth worker died at a hospital. Safety inspectors are currently looking into the cause of the collapse at the Chinese site.
Operational Stakes and Regional Context
The Sikkim project, overseen by the NHPC, is part of a broader infrastructure push in the Himalayan region. As rescue teams continue to maneuver equipment into the tunnel, the focus remains on clearing the dense fumes and reaching the 13 men who have been trapped since Monday. While the search continues, the incident highlights the ongoing risks associated with large-scale tunneling in mountainous terrain. The outcome of the government’s investigation into the Sikkim site will determine the next steps for the project, as the state government and the NHPC coordinate their response to the disaster.
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