Seven workers killed, 13 injured in India tunnel accident

Uttarakhand, India — At least seven workers have been killed and 13 others injured after a tunnel at a hydropower project in northern India was flooded following a landslide.

The accident occurred late Thursday at the state-run hydropower project in Uttarakhand, where water and debris entered the tunnel and trapped construction workers.

Three workers remain missing, according to India’s State Disaster Management Authority.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said a major rescue operation was underway, with the safe evacuation of the remaining workers the authorities’ top priority.

Rescue teams have been working inside the flooded tunnel, with footage showing workers using makeshift rafts and head-mounted lights to reach affected sections.

National Disaster Response Force officials said water levels inside the tunnel had increased significantly after rescue teams reached the site.

The incident comes amid heavy monsoon rainfall across Uttarakhand, with the region experiencing frequent landslides and flooding.

The accident has also renewed concerns over construction and hydropower projects in India’s environmentally fragile Himalayan region, where experts have warned that climate change and poorly planned development may be increasing disaster risks.