At least 10 people were killed in a methane gas explosion inside an under-construction tunnel at the Teesta Stage VI hydroelectric project in Sikkim, officials said.
The blast occurred when trapped methane gas ignited inside the tunnel, which is part of an NHPC hydroelectric project still under construction. Rescue teams were deployed to the site to search for survivors and recover bodies from the tunnel, though the confined underground conditions complicated the operation.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the safety protocols at the construction site, as officials work to determine how the methane gas accumulated to dangerous levels before the explosion.
NHPC has faced scrutiny in the past over safety protocols at under-construction hydroelectric sites in the Himalayan region, where tunneling work is often complicated by unstable geology and the risk of trapped gas pockets.
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Sources:
https://www.thehindu.com/news/top-news-of-the-day-july-21-2026/article71249464.ece