Sikkim tunnel accident: Death toll rises, rescue on war footing launched

Sikkim tunnel accident: Death toll rises, rescue on war footing launched

The death toll has risen to 20 in the horrific accident in the tunnel of the under-construction Teesta Stage-6 hydro-electric project in Namchi district of Sikkim. Many laborers were trapped inside due to the closure of the entrance gate of the tunnel after the landslide. Even now, rescue forces are conducting rescue operations at war level. Methane gas, lack of oxygen, smoke and low visibility make rescue operations extremely challenging. Expressing grief over the accident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50 thousand for the injured.