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The death toll in the NHPC Teesta Stage VI Hydropower Project tunnel incident in Sikkim's Namchi district rose to 22 after nine more bodies were recovered during overnight rescue operations, officials said on Thursday.
Search and rescue operations continued through the night as rescue agencies intensified efforts to locate and recover the remaining trapped workers. According to the latest update, the bodies of 22 deceased individuals have so far been recovered from the tunnel. At around 10 pm on Wednesday, a second rescue team from Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), Asansol, arrived at the incident site and immediately joined the ongoing operation. The teams worked tirelessly under extremely challenging conditions, continuing the rescue efforts until midnight. Rescue operations remain in progress with specialised teams working in close coordination to locate and recover the remaining victims. The State Government, district administration, and all concerned agencies continue to closely monitor the situation while extending every possible support to the rescue teams and the affected families. Rescue operations are continuing at the site. Meanwhile, on Wednesday after a temporary suspension caused by the accumulation of large volumes of mud and water inside the tunnel hampered rescue efforts. With conditions inside the tunnel improving, personnel from the NDRF, a coal expert team from Asansol, and other emergency response agencies resumed operations with full intensity. The rescue teams continued to carry out intensive search and recovery operations under extremely challenging conditions, with sustained efforts focused on locating and retrieving the remaining trapped persons. On Tuesday, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced financial assistance for the victims and said a thorough inquiry would be conducted into the incident, with strict action to follow if any negligence by the executing company is established. Speaking to reporters at the site, Tamang said the state administration acted swiftly after the accident, mobilising multiple rescue agencies to carry out operations inside the under-construction tunnel. According to NHPC officials, the accident occurred on July 20 inside the under-construction Head Race Tunnel (HRT) at Samardung after a sudden burst of suspected methane gas trapped within rock formations triggered an explosion, filling the tunnel with dense fumes and toxic gases. (ANI)
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