A very worrying news has come out from Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, where many workers got trapped inside the tunnel under construction of THDC (Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project) located in Pipalkoti area after heavy rains suddenly filled with water, mud and debris. As soon as information about the incident was received, joint teams of District Administration, Police, NDRF, SDRF, ITBP, CISF and Indian Army took charge and started relief and rescue operations on war footing. Due to the promptness and indomitable courage of the rescue teams, so far 16 workers have been safely pulled out from the deep swamp of the tunnel. Meanwhile, the operation for the safe return of other workers trapped in the tunnel is continuing and the administration has also issued emergency helpline numbers for the convenience of the families. 10 big updates related to Chamoli Tunnel accident Successful rescue of 16 workers: Disaster management teams swung into action after the incident and safely rescued 16 of the workers trapped inside the tunnel. Helpline numbers released by Uttarakhand administration: To help the family members, the State Emergency Operation Center (SEOC) has issued 0135-2710334, 82188 67005 and toll-free number 1070. Special Control Room of Jharkhand Government: Helpline number 1800-3456-526 and WhatsApp numbers 9470132591 and 9431336472 have been started to help the workers of Jharkhand trapped in the accident. CM Pushkar Singh Dhami took command: Chief Minister Dhami himself reached the State Disaster Operation Center in Dehradun and gave strict instructions to the officials to speed up the relief work. Accident due to overflow of Tamak drain: Due to sudden increase in the water level of Tamak drain in Mayapur area of Pipalkoti, the mouth of the tunnel was rapidly filled with water and debris. Joint operation of 5 major agencies: On the spot, NDRF, SDRF, ITBP, CISF and Army personnel have put in full force in the rescue work. Treatment of the injured continues in the hospital: Some of the rescued workers have suffered minor injuries, who have been immediately sent to the nearest hospital for first aid. Deploying Heavy Dewatering Pumps: High capacity pumps are being used to pump out several feet deep water and swamp accumulated inside the tunnel. Conversation between Chief Ministers of two states: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren spoke to the CM of Uttarakhand over phone and discussed the safety of workers of his state. District Magistrate present on the spot: Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar and senior police officers are standing at the spot and are leading the entire rescue operation. Suddenly water and debris entered the tunnel, know how the accident happened. Monsoon rains have been raining like a disaster for the last few days in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand. Work was going on in the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti hydro power project being built on the Alaknanda river in Pipalkoti (Mayapur) area of Chamoli district. This project is of THDC (Tehri Hydro Development Corporation) and its construction work is being done by Hindustan Construction Company (HCC). According to the information, in the evening when many laborers were working in their regular shift inside the tunnel, suddenly the water level in the nearby Tamak drain increased unexpectedly after heavy rains in the area. With this tremendous flow of water, a huge amount of mud, boulders and debris got swept into the entrance of the tunnel. Within no time, a part of the tunnel got blocked with debris and water started filling inside. There was panic among the workers present inside the tunnel and they started running towards a safe place, but due to the rapid rise in the water level, about 18 to 22 workers got trapped inside. As soon as the news of the incident spread, there was panic in the surrounding areas and the local police and emergency teams were immediately alerted. Rescue operation is going on war footing, situation of ground zero. As soon as the information about the incident was received, the administration took immediate action and sent relief and rescue teams to the spot. Police and SDRF teams from Chamoli were the first to reach. After this, special NDRF teams were immediately dispatched from nearby areas and Rudraprayag. Apart from this, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), CISF and Indian Army personnel also joined the rescue team and took up the rescue front. Rescue teams used heavy machines to remove the debris from the mouth of the tunnel. After the initial few hours of hard work, 8 teams each succeeded in evacuating a total of 16 workers safely. However, the rescue operation is still facing challenges due to water leakage and swamp inside the tunnel. Rescue teams have entered the tunnel with oxygen cylinders, emergency lights and large dewatering pumps so that the water accumulated inside can be quickly dried and other trapped people can be reached. Necessary helpline and contact numbers for the families of the workers: As soon as the news of the accident was received, deep concern has spread among the families of the stranded workers. Many laborers are local residents of Uttarakhand, while many other laborers came from states like Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and were working here. In order to assist the family members and provide them accurate information, Uttarakhand State Emergency Operation Center (Dehradun SEOC) has issued the following helpline numbers: Uttarakhand Control Room Phone Number: 0135-2710334 Emergency Mobile Number: 82188 67005 Toll-Free Helpline Number: 1070 Apart from this, the Jharkhand Government has also set up a state level control room and issued a special helpline for the families of the affected laborers of its state. Jharkhand State Helpline Number: 1800-3456-526 Official WhatsApp Number: 9470132591, 9431336472, 9431336427 The family members have been appealed not to pay attention to any kind of rumors and to contact the official numbers only to get the correct information about the situation. Chief Minister Dhami gave instructions for quick help and high alert. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has expressed concern over this incident and is keeping an eye on the entire matter. Reaching the disaster control room in Dehradun, he made a comprehensive review of the situation and called Chamoli District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police and gave directions. CM Dhami clarified that the top priority of the state government is to safely rescue every person trapped in the tunnel. The Chief Minister spoke to the rescued laborers over phone to inquire about their well-being and directed the health officials to leave no stone unturned in the treatment of the injured. Along with this, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren also talked to CM Dhami on phone and took information about the laborers of Jharkhand. CM Dhami assured them that the entire government machinery and the Central Disaster Force are engaged in the rescue work and all the workers will be rescued safely. Monsoon disaster continues in hilly areas and safety instructions. Monsoon season in Uttarakhand brings with it the threat of natural disasters every year. At present, rivers are in spate in Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag and Pithoragarh districts and landslides are continuously occurring from the mountains. This incident near Pipalkoti has once again drawn serious attention to the security arrangements at construction sites and hill projects. The Meteorological Department has also issued an alert of heavy rain in many districts including Chamoli for the coming days. The administration has given strict instructions to the people living on the banks of rivers and drains and the companies engaged in construction work to take special precautions and remain alert.
