At least 10 people have been confirmed dead, while 17 others remain missing after a tunnel under construction at a hydropower project collapsed following a suspected gas explosion in India's northeastern state of Sikkim.
The incident occurred on Monday at the 500-megawatt Teesta River hydropower project in Samardung village, near the borders with Bhutan and Tibet. According to officials, workers inside the tunnel heard a loud explosion before debris crashed down, trapping dozens underground.
The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), which is overseeing the project, said the explosion was likely caused by methane gas trapped within the surrounding rock formations.
Six NHPC officials who entered the tunnel to assist in rescue operations also became trapped during the emergency.
Local police confirmed that rescue teams have recovered 10 bodies, while efforts continue to locate the remaining 17 missing workers.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said rescue operations have been slowed by dangerous conditions inside the tunnel, where toxic gases including methane, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide have accumulated. Emergency crews are using specialized breathing equipment as they search for survivors.
Construction accidents are relatively common in India's Himalayan region due to unstable geological conditions and seismic activity. In 2023, 41 workers were rescued after spending 17 days trapped inside a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the disaster as rescue efforts continue.
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