The death toll in the Sikkim tunnel collapse rose to 22 on Thursday after rescuers recovered more bodies from the under-construction NHPC Teesta Stage VI Hydropower Project tunnel in Namchi district.
Twenty-five workers were trapped inside the tunnel when it collapsed following an explosion suspected to have been triggered by methane gas on Monday. Search and rescue operations are continuing to locate the remaining three workers.
Rescue teams, including specialised personnel, are working in close coordination to trace those still missing, officials said.
“The Sikkim 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,” a state government official said.
Officials said eight of the recovered bodies had been identified till Wednesday.
Four of the deceased were from West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district, while one each hailed from Punjab, Uttarakhand, Assam and Sikkim. At least four workers from Jharkhand's Khunti, Hazaribag and West Singhbhum districts were among those employed at the project, another official said.
NHPC has announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the next of kin of each worker who died in the accident.
Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has also announced Rs 4 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for those injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an additional ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased worker and Rs 50,000 for every injured person.
According to an NHPC statement, a sudden burst of suspected methane gas trapped/embedded inside the rocks led to the explosion, generating dense fumes and toxic gases inside the tunnel.
(With inputs from PTI)