Six workers were feared trapped after water and debris entered an under-construction tunnel in the Pipalkoti area of Chamoli district in Uttarakhand on Thursday (August 13, 2026). Sixteen workers were rescued from the site, officials said.

According to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the incident was reported around 7.05 p.m. Preliminary information suggested that 22 workers were inside the tunnel being built for a Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited (THDC) project when water and debris entered it.

Rescue operations were launched soon after the incident was reported. Teams from the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF were rushed to the site and raced against time to locate and evacuate the trapped workers.

District-level rescue teams, the local police and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel were also involved in the operation.

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.

Chamoli district has witnessed heavy rainfall 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.

Published - August 14, 2026 12:01 am IST