Death Count In Sikkim Tunnel Collapse Rises To 25, All Bodies Recovered
Rescue teams have recovered the bodies of all 25 workers who died in a tunnel collapse at the NHPC Teesta Stage VI project in Sikkim. The accident was reportedly caused by a methane gas explosion, and both state and central governments have announced compensation for the victims' families.
Why it matters
This industrial tragedy highlights safety concerns in large-scale infrastructure projects and the human cost of construction accidents.
The bodies of all 25 workers have been retrieved from an under-construction NHPC hydropower project tunnel that had collapsed in Sikkim's Namchi district, officials said on Thursday.The labourers were inside the NHPC Teesta Stage VI Hydropower Project tunnel under construction, which collapsed following an explosion suspected to have been caused by methane gas shortly after 1 pm on Monday.All the bodies have now been recovered after 72 hours of continuous search operations, K K Roy, a member of the rescue team from Eastern Coalfield Ltd, told reporters."The Sikkim government, district administration, and all concerned agencies continue to closely monitor the situation, while extending every possible support to the affected families," a state government official said.Eight bodies had been identified till Wednesday.
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