Chamoli Tunnel Collapse: Workers Allege Warnings Over Water Leak Were Ignored Before 8 Died
Eight workers were killed and two remain missing after water and debris flooded an under-construction tunnel in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. Workers have alleged that dirty water was leaking from the roof before the incident and that engineers were alerted but failed to inspect it. A magisterial inquiry has now been ordered to examine the accident and possible negligence.
A day after eight workers were killed and two remained missing in the flooding of an under-construction tunnel in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, questions have emerged over whether the tragedy could have been prevented. Workers at the site have alleged that dirty water had begun leaking from the tunnel roof a day before the incident and that engineers and officials were alerted but did not inspect the problem, NDTV reported.
Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Minister Madan Kaushik visited the site on Saturday, where some workers raised concerns about the alleged warnings. Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said a magisterial inquiry would be conducted on the directions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and the disaster rehabilitation minister to establish the cause of the accident and examine any possible negligence. Chamoli Tunnel Collapse: 7 Dead, 14 Injured and 1 Worker Still Trapped at THDC Project in Uttarakhand (Videos).
Workers Allege Warnings Were Ignored
Ankush, a worker from Gauchar in Chamoli, alleged that signs of trouble had appeared inside the tunnel before the flooding.
"We place a rib (support arch) to support the roof inside the tunnel. Clean water used to flow from there but we noticed dirty water on Wednesday. We informed our engineers and officials about it. Our colleagues also mentioned that they had reported this. They did not come to inspect it. Instead, they told us the rib was settling," Ankush recalled. Chamoli Tunnel Collapse: Several Workers Trapped at THDC Project, 10 Rescued; Rescue Ops Underway (Videos).
He said the night-shift crew had also warned workers to enter carefully and work with caution because the rib was sinking. According to Ankush, debris began falling around Thursday afternoon. The tragedy occurred around 7 pm.
"It is pure negligence, sir - total negligence on the part of the company. I can't say too much one way or the other. Everyone rushes to the spot only after an incident takes place. Before that, nobody comes to inspect or check anything... some people are just drawing their salaries for doing nothing," he alleged. The allegations have not yet been established by an official investigation.
Magisterial Inquiry To Examine Negligence
Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said a magisterial inquiry would be ordered to determine what led to the incident and whether any negligence was involved.
The inquiry is expected to examine the conditions inside the tunnel before the flooding, warnings allegedly made by workers and the response of engineers and officials. The development comes as rescue teams continue searching for the two workers still missing.
22 Workers Were Trapped
The tunnel was flooded on Thursday evening, August 13, after a sudden surge of water and debris entered the structure, trapping 22 workers. Twelve workers were rescued, while eight have died and two remain missing, according to the latest information available Saturday. Rescue operations have involved multiple agencies, including the NDRF and SDRF, along with the district administration.
"At the THDC tunnel under construction in Chamoli, a sudden surge of debris and water trapped 22 workers who were on duty at the time. Search operations are on. All agencies, including the NDRF, SDRF, and the Uttarakhand government's district administration, are keeping a constant watch on the situation," Chief Minister Dhami said.
Tunnel Part Of Hydroelectric Project
The affected tunnel is being executed by THDC (Tehri Hydro Development Corporation) as part of the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project.
Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) is carrying out the actual construction work. Attempts to contact officials from the company were unsuccessful, according to the report.
Rescue teams are continuing efforts to locate the two missing workers amid difficult conditions inside the tunnel. Earlier reports said rising water levels and unstable conditions had complicated the operation.
The focus now remains on finding the missing workers while the proposed magisterial inquiry is expected to examine whether earlier warning signs were overlooked and whether adequate safety measures were in place.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 15, 2026 11:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).