Archive · 14 Aug 2026
Dhami inspects Chamoli tunnel rescue; three workers still trapped
Some workers were building a very long tunnel underground in a place called Chamoli.
Suddenly, the ground above the tunnel gave way, and dirt and water rushed inside.
Twenty-two workers got stuck inside the dark tunnel because of this.
Their bosses and rescue helpers worked very hard to bring them out safely.
Nineteen of the twenty-two workers have been brought out so far.
Three workers are still inside, and rescuers are doing their best to find them.
Sadly, seven people lost their lives because of the accident.
The chief minister of the state, Pushkar Singh Dhami, went into the tunnel to see how the rescue was going.
He told everyone to work together and use all available tools to save the remaining workers.
Injured workers are now at a hospital where doctors and health teams are taking care of them.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the THDC tunnel at Mayapur near Pipalkoti in Chamoli on Friday and reviewed the ongoing rescue operation.
Debris and water entered the under-construction tunnel after ground subsidence, affecting a section of about 1.5 km of the roughly 3 km long tunnel.
Of the 22 workers trapped inside, 19 have been rescued, while search efforts continue for the remaining three.
Seven deaths have been reported in connection with the incident.
Rescue teams from the NDRF, SDRF, ITBP and Uttarakhand Police are involved, and injured workers are being treated at the district hospital in Gopeshwar.
- Who
- Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar, and rescue teams from the NDRF, SDRF, ITBP and Uttarakhand Police
- What
- A rescue operation to safely evacuate workers trapped after debris and water entered an under-construction tunnel following ground subsidence
- When
- On Friday, after several workers were evacuated on Thursday night
- Where
- The THDC Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project TRT tunnel at Mayapur near Pipalkoti in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand
- Why
- A cave-in (subsidence) caused debris and water to flood a roughly 1.5 km section of the tunnel, trapping 22 workers
- Location
- Mayapur near Pipalkoti, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand
- Project
- THDC Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project
- Tunnel
- TRT tunnel, approximately 3 km long
- Affected section
- About 1.5 km
- Workers
- 22 trapped; 19 rescued; 3 remaining
- Deaths reported
- 7
- Rescue agencies
- NDRF, SDRF, ITBP, Uttarakhand Police
- Hospital
- District Hospital, Gopeshwar