Chamoli tunnel flood: Six dead, 14 injured; rescue teams race against time
At least six workers died and 14 others were injured after water and debris entered an under-construction tunnel at a hydroelectric project site in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, on Thursday (August 13, 2026), officials said.
According to preliminary information, 22 workers were trapped inside the tunnel. Twenty people have been brought out so far. Of these, six were declared dead, while 14 are undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital. Officials said information about the remaining two workers was not immediately available.
Earlier, officials said 16 workers had been rescued. The number was later revised as more workers were pulled out.
The incident was reported around 7.05 p.m. at a tunnel being constructed for a Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited (THDC) project in the Pipalkoti area of Chamoli. A sudden inflow of water and debris entered the tunnel, trapping the workers inside, preliminary information suggested.
Rescue operations were launched soon after. Teams from the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were rushed to the site. District-level rescue teams, local police and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel were also involved in the operation.
Chamoli district, situated in the higher reaches of the Himalayas, has witnessed spells of intense rainfall in recent days. The area is considered vulnerable to flash floods and landslides, especially during the monsoon season.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed concern over the incident and directed officials to carry out the rescue operation on a war footing. He said the government's priority was to ensure the safe evacuation of every worker trapped inside the tunnel.
The incident comes amid heavy rainfall in Chamoli district over the past several days. On Monday (August 10, 2026), a bridge in the Niti Valley region was swept away after rising water levels triggered a strong current in the river. A video of the incident showed a large volume of muddy water surging downstream and crashing into the metal bridge. The powerful current soon uprooted the structure and pushed it towards the riverbank.
Rescue teams continued to work through the night, with officials stating that clearing the debris and locating the remaining workers was their immediate priority. The exact cause of the water inflow is yet to be ascertained.
