NationalThursday, 23 July 2026·Hindu Tamil Thisai
Sikkim tunnel collapse: death toll rises to 20; NHPC project and relief details
In Sikkim’s Namchi district, the Teesta hydropower tunnel collapse linked to an NHPC project left 20 dead, with 12 bodies recovered and 5 still missing.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In July 2026, a tunnel collapse at an NHPC hydropower project in Samardung, Namchi district of Sikkim, caused 20 deaths, after a methane gas leak and explosion trapped 25 workers and officials inside the tunnel.
Key specifics
- The project is being built on the Teesta river with a 34.5-metre-high dam.
- Patel Engineering Company is carrying out the construction work.
- Of the 25 people trapped, 20 deaths were confirmed and 12 bodies were recovered.
- Five trapped persons were still being searched for, with a special rescue team from West Bengal assisting.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang and announced relief of ₹2 lakh per deceased and ₹50,000 per injured from the PM relief fund.
Exam lens
Environment and disaster-management question type: project location, agency, dam height, rescue and compensation. TNPSC may frame a one-liner on the Teesta project, NHPC, and the relief amounts announced in July 2026.