Officials said methane gas levels inside the tunnel are still very high, making it impossible for rescue teams to reach the area where the trapped workers are believed to be.
Published: July 21, 2026, 9:40 AM IST
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Gangtok: Police personnel at site as rescue operation is underway after 27 workers were trapped in an under construction tunnel after a landslide, in Gangtok, Sikkim, Tuesday, July 21, 2026. (PTI Photo)
Eight bodies have been recovered after a landslide hit an under-construction tunnel in Sikkim, trapping several workers, officials said. Rescue teams have saved 12 people so far, while more than 18 others are still believed to be trapped inside.
The accident took place around 3.09 pm on Monday at the Samardung tunnel in South Sikkim, where work is underway on the Teesta Stage VI Hydroelectric Project. The tunnel is being built by Patel Engineering.
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According to the Chief Minister’s Office, rescue operations are still in progress. Officials said the exact number of people trapped has not yet been confirmed, but more than 18 workers are feared to be inside the tunnel.
Initial reports suggest that a landslide inside the tunnel blocked the exit, trapping the workers. Rescue work has become more difficult because of a suspected methane gas leak, which has made it dangerous for teams to enter the affected area.
Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Sikkim Police, and the Fire and Emergency Services are carrying out the rescue operation. Traffic in the area has also been restricted to help emergency teams move freely.
Namchi District Collector Anupa Tamling said rescue teams from Siliguri and Pakyong, along with the SDRF, were rushed to the site as soon as the administration received information about the incident.
She said firefighters and police officers tried twice to enter the tunnel without protective equipment, but had to turn back because of the dangerous conditions inside.
Namchi District Collector Anupa Tamling said the first NDRF team that entered the tunnel had to bring out firefighters and emergency personnel who had gone inside during the initial rescue attempt. Later, another NDRF team entered the tunnel, and the rescue operation is still underway.
Officials said methane gas levels inside the tunnel are still very high, making it impossible for rescue teams to reach the area where the trapped workers are believed to be.
The exact reason behind the landslide is still not known. Tamling said workers who managed to escape told officials they heard a loud explosion-like sound from inside the tunnel before they ran out. Several workers, however, could not escape and remain trapped.
She added that the number of people believed to be trapped is only an estimate and has not yet been officially confirmed.
