Landslide, then influx of debris, water: What happened at Uttarakhand tunnel mishap

The landslide trapped workers inside the tunnel and prompted an urgent rescue operation.

A landslide caused a sudden surge of debris and water inside an under-construction THDC India tunnel near Pipalkoti in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Thursday evening, trapping 22 workers inside, officials said.

As many as 18 workers have been rescued so far, while a search and rescue operation is underway for the remaining workers.

The debris and water entered the 3-km-long tail-race tunnel (TRT) at a point around 1.5 km from its mouth, officials said.

Also Read | 6 workers trapped, 16 rescued as debris, water enter tunnel in Uttarakhand's Chamoli after landslide

DM's statement on landslide

Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said the incident occurred when a large volume of debris and water suddenly surged into the tunnel while workers from the shift on duty were inside.

He said, “This is a tunnel under construction for a hydropower project belonging to THDC. Around 6:30 or 6:45 PM, a large volume of debris and water surged into the tunnel".

“Workers from the shift on duty got trapped inside. About 14 or 15 people have already been rescued. NDRF and SDRF teams, along with all our machinery, are currently engaged in operations for the remaining individuals, and we are hopeful that we will be able to rescue everyone within the next few hours.”

According to police, the incident occurred around 7:05pm when 22 workers were inside the tunnel. A sudden influx of water and debris following the landslide trapped those on shift, HT earlier reported.

Also Read | 6 workers trapped, 16 rescued as debris, water enter tunnel in Uttarakhand's Chamoli after landslide

CM Dhami directs officials to oversee rescue efforts

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed concern over the incident and said teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) had been dispatched to the site “considering the seriousness of the incident”.

“Instructions have been issued to all relevant agencies, including the district administration, to carry out relief and rescue operations at a war footing,” he said.

Dhami said he was in touch with senior officials and receiving real-time updates on the situation. He stressed that the government's top priority was to safely evacuate every person trapped inside the tunnel and that all necessary resources had been deployed for the operation.

The chief minister also directed officials to ensure there was no laxity in the rescue efforts and that all possible assistance was provided to the affected workers and their families.

Vinod Kumar Suman, secretary, disaster management and rehabilitation, said all agencies concerned had been directed to work in close coordination and expedite relief and rescue operations to ensure the safe evacuation of those trapped inside the tunnel.

“The priority is to safely evacuate all the people trapped inside the tunnel,” Suman said, adding that additional resources and specialist teams would be deployed as required to strengthen the rescue operation.

The district administration and all agencies involved in the relief and rescue operation are working in coordination at the incident site, officials said.

Priyanjali Narayan is a journalist with Hindustan Times based in New Delhi. She has over two years of experience covering national and international affairs, reporting on breaking news, producing in-depth explainers, and writing feature stories. Her work explores the political, social, and cultural dimensions of major events, with a focus on providing clear, nuanced, and accessible journalism for a broad audience.Before joining Hindustan Times, she was part of the India Today newsroom, where she specialised in explanatory journalism. There, she wrote detailed analyses of major domestic and international issues and produced feature stories that included interviews with prominent public figures. The role strengthened her ability to combine speed with depth in a fast-paced news environment.She holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in History from the University of Delhi. Her academic training continues to shape her storytelling, grounding her work in historical context and research-driven insight.Outside the newsroom, she enjoys reading personal essays and fiction, and is often planning her next trip, always seeking stories that deepen her understanding of people and places.Read More