Chamoli tunnel accident: Ninth worker's body found, one still missing
The body of a worker trapped when water flooded into a tunnel five days ago was found on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, taking the death toll to nine from the accident at the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti hydroelectric project in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand.
Officials said another worker remains missing. Twenty-two people were caught inside the three-kilometre tunnel, part of the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation's project, when a landslide led to debris and water flooding in on August 13.
Chamoli District Disaster Management Officer N.K. Joshi confirmed that the body was recovered during the ongoing search operation conducted by multiple agencies. The body has been sent to the district hospital in Gopeshwar, the administrative headquarters of Chamoli district, and efforts are underway for its identification.
The accident, caused by a landslide that filled the tunnel with debris and water, has now claimed nine lives. Twelve other workers were injured in the incident.
Officials said that a rescue and relief operation is being conducted on a war footing to locate the missing worker. A joint team comprising the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), local police, and other agencies has been continuously carrying out search operations since the accident occurred.
The search is continuing despite significant sludge inside the tunnel, officials said, with all teams coordinating to execute the mission under adverse conditions. The accumulated debris and sludge are being removed, and water is being pumped out rapidly using available resources, including suction pumps and other equipment, to facilitate the search for the missing worker.
Chamoli District Information Officer Dheeraj Karki told PTI that three of the five JCB machines trapped inside the tunnel during the accident have been retrieved so far, which has accelerated the search. He said the remaining two machines, currently stuck in the debris, would also be extracted soon.
The Vishnugad-Pipalkoti hydroelectric project is a run-of-river scheme on the Alaknanda River. The tunnel was being constructed as part of the project's headrace system. Authorities have not yet released details about the cause of the landslide, and an investigation is expected to follow once rescue operations conclude.
