NAMCHI, India — The death toll from a blast and subsequent collapse at an under-construction hydroelectric project tunnel in India's northeastern state of Sikkim rose to 22 on Thursday after rescuers recovered seven more bodies, the state government said, with teams continuing to search for three remaining workers.
The incident occurred on Monday at the state-owned National Hydroelectric Power Corp Ltd's Teesta Stage VI project on the Teesta river in Samardung village in Namchi district, according to the state government and NHPC.
An explosion suspected to have been caused by methane trapped in or released from rocks filled the tunnel with dense fumes and toxic gases, trapping 25 workers and NHPC personnel, officials said. The cause of the blast has not been independently established and authorities have not announced the findings of a formal investigation.
"Rescue operations remain in progress, with specialised teams working in close coordination to locate and recover the remaining victims," the Sikkim state government said in a statement.
Rescue operations have been complicated by the accumulation of mud and water inside the tunnel and hazardous air conditions, according to officials. Specialized teams have been deployed as authorities work to reach the remaining workers.
The latest recovery marks a sharp increase from earlier casualty figures. On Tuesday, Namchi's police superintendent, Sonam D. Bhutia, said 20 people were confirmed dead among those trapped in the tunnel. NHPC reported on Wednesday that 13 bodies had been recovered at that stage.
NHPC said on Wednesday it would provide 500,000 rupees ($5,178) in compensation to the families of each person killed in the incident. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang announced 400,000 rupees for each deceased worker's family and 50,000 rupees for each injured person, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced federal compensation of 200,000 rupees for the families of those killed and 50,000 rupees for the injured.
The Teesta Stage VI project is a 500-megawatt hydroelectric scheme being developed by NHPC in Sikkim. The latest incident has prompted continued rescue and recovery efforts involving specialized teams and local authorities.
As of Thursday, authorities said 22 bodies had been retrieved and the search remained underway for the three workers still unaccounted for. Rescue teams were continuing operations at the site.
