A suspected gas explosion inside a tunnel under construction at a hydropower project in India’s northeastern state of Sikkim has left 11 people dead, while 14 others remain missing. The accident happened on Monday in the Himalayan region near the Chinese border.
According to state Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, the blast was triggered by a build-up of methane gas. The explosion led to a collapse inside the tunnel, turning the construction site into the scene of a major industrial disaster.
Tamang visited the area after the incident as authorities assessed the damage and continued efforts related to the missing workers. The deaths and disappearances have drawn attention to the risks tied to large infrastructure projects in difficult mountainous terrain.
The hydropower tunnel collapse in Sikkim is one of the deadliest construction-related accidents reported in the region in recent memory. Investigators are expected to examine how methane accumulated inside the tunnel and whether additional safety measures could have prevented the explosion.
