DEHRADUN: Rescue teams on Saturday recovered the body of another worker from the under-construction Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) tunnel at Mayapur in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, taking the death toll in the Pipalkoti tunnel accident to eight.
The search continued for two workers believed to be trapped under debris inside the tunnel following Thursday’s accident. Twelve workers have so far been rescued.
Pipalkoti police outpost in-charge Laxmikant Bijalwan said the body was among three workers who had remained missing. “The deceased has been identified as Devnath, son of Dhansu Ram Baghel, a resident of Dahigonda village in Chhattisgarh,” he said.
Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said multiple agencies were conducting an intensive search at all probable locations inside the tunnel.
“The search for the two missing workers is being carried out on a war footing. Rescue teams are carefully examining the places where they are suspected to be trapped,” DM Kumar told TNIE.
He said the large volume of accumulated water inside the tunnel remained a major obstacle to the operation.
“Suction pumps and other equipment have been deployed to drain the water. Once the water level recedes, the movement of rescue personnel inside the tunnel will become easier, allowing them to reach deeper sections and intensify the search,” the district magistrate said.
Teams from the district administration, police, State Disaster Response Force, National Disaster Response Force and other departments are jointly engaged in the rescue operation. Officials said available resources and specialised equipment were being used to accelerate the search.
Eight bodies have been recovered so far, including three workers each from Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and two from Uttarakhand.
Of the 12 workers rescued alive, 11 are undergoing treatment in hospital. One worker who sustained minor injuries has been discharged.
Officials said waterlogging and debris continued to make conditions inside the tunnel difficult. Rescue personnel were proceeding cautiously while searching for the two missing workers.
