The explosion occurred on Monday at the 500-megawatt Teesta Hydroelectric Project after a buildup of methane gas triggered a powerful blast inside the tunnel. The incident took place in the Himalayan state of Sikkim, where authorities have recovered the bodies of 12 workers who died inside the tunnel located around 40 kilometers south of the state capital, Gangtok.
Rescue teams equipped with specialized breathing equipment and night-vision gear have been struggling to enter the affected tunnel due to the presence of toxic gas and accumulated water. Administrative official Anupama Tamling said the hazardous conditions inside the tunnel have delayed efforts to reach the 13 workers who remain trapped.
The Teesta River basin, where the hydropower project is under construction, is located in a highly seismic region known for young and fragile rock formations. Experts have highlighted that the area contains fractured geological structures and underground pockets capable of trapping ancient gases, creating additional risks for tunnel construction projects.
The combination of unstable mountain terrain, frequent seismic activity, and unpredictable underground conditions makes infrastructure projects involving tunnels particularly dangerous in the Himalayan region. The latest incident has once again raised concerns over safety challenges faced by workers involved in major underground construction activities in such vulnerable areas.
Earlier in February, an explosion at a coal mine in neighboring Meghalaya state resulted in the deaths of 18 workers. In another major tunnel disaster in 2023, a section of a tunnel collapsed in northern Uttarakhand state, trapping 41 workers for 17 days before they were successfully rescued.
The Sikkim tunnel explosion has highlighted the continuing dangers associated with underground construction in geologically sensitive Himalayan regions, where rescue efforts can be severely complicated by hazardous gases, water accumulation, and unstable terrain.
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