Seven Bodies Found, Three Still Trapped After Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse

Seven workers have died and three remain trapped after a tunnel collapse at Uttarakhand's Vishnugad-Pipalkoti hydropower project, according to reports from August 14, 2026.

Rescue operations are nearing 24 hours, with teams battling rising water and debris. The incident occurred after debris and water entered an under-construction tunnel of THDC's Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project in Mayapur, Pipalkoti, Chamoli district. Of 22 workers initially trapped, 19 were rescued and taken to Gopeshwar District Hospital. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inspected the accident site and reviewed rescue operations, directing medical teams to ensure treatment for injured workers.

Dhami also visited the District Hospital and met injured workers. A massive boulder fell onto the car of Garhwal (Pauri) MP Anil Baluni near Totaghati while he was en route to assess the situation, but he and others in the vehicle escaped serious injury. The National Disaster Response Force team commander, Amrit Lal Meena, stated that water levels inside the tunnel increased considerably since operations began.

Chamoli was placed under a yellow alert for heavy rain and thunderstorms on August 14. Construction accidents are common in India, with ecologists stating excessive development projects lead to more disasters in the fragile Himalayan areas. In 2023, a tunnel section in northern Uttarakhand state collapsed, trapping 41 workers for 17 days before their rescue. Last month, 20 people died in a tunnel for another state-run hydroelectric project in Sikkim.