Gangtok, July 22 — The death toll in the tunnel collapse at the under‑construction NHPC Teesta Stage‑VI Hydropower Project in Sikkim’s Namchi district has risen to 13 after rescue teams recovered another body on Wednesday, officials said.
The latest recovery came during the ongoing search operation at the Samardung tunnel in Jholungey, where multiple workers were trapped following the incident. Authorities said the recovered bodies have been shifted to different hospitals for identification and post‑mortem examinations.
Four bodies have been brought to the Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial (STNM) Hospital in Gangtok, while the remaining bodies have been sent to Namchi District Hospital and Singtam District Hospital.
So far, only one victim has been identified as 31‑year‑old Shyam Oraon, a resident of Indong Tea Estate in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district.
Additional Medical Superintendent of STNM Hospital, Suresh Madan Rasaily, said the preliminary post‑mortem examination indicated that the identified victim died due to asphyxia. He added that there were other injuries and burn injuries as well.
Meanwhile, search and rescue operations were temporarily suspended after a large accumulation of mud and water inside the tunnel created unsafe conditions for rescue personnel and severely hampered efforts to reach the remaining trapped workers.
Officials said operations would resume with full intensity once conditions inside the tunnel improve and it is safe for rescue teams to re‑enter.
Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the specialised Asansol Rescue Team, and other emergency response agencies remain stationed at the site and are prepared to restart the operation at the earliest opportunity.
Officials said the rescue mission continues under extremely challenging conditions due to unstable ground, water ingress and heavy mud deposits inside the tunnel.
The authorities are making sustained efforts to locate and recover the remaining trapped persons, while maintaining strict safety protocols for rescue personnel.
The tunnel is part of the NHPC’s Teesta Stage‑VI Hydropower Project, where rescue agencies have been working round‑the‑clock since the incident in one of Sikkim’s deadliest industrial disasters in recent years.