NEW DELHI , 21 July 2026 (TON): Eight workers lost their lives after an under-construction tunnel collapsed at the NHPC Teesta Stage VI Hydroelectric Project in Namchi district of Sikkim on Monday, following a landslide.
Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said the tunnel at Samardung in Jholungey caved in after the landslide. Around 27 workers were initially trapped inside the tunnel.
Rescue operations were made difficult by a suspected gas leak inside the tunnel, with some rescue personnel experiencing dizziness during the operation. Authorities are investigating the incident.