Sikkim landslides: 8 dead, 19 feared trapped in Teesta hydel project tunnel

At least eight people were killed and 19 are feared trapped after landslides hit an under-construction tunnel of the Teesta hydroelectric project at Samardung in Sikkim's Namchi district.

Workers were trapped at least three kilometers inside the tunnel amid heavy rain, hampering rescue operations.

Police superintendent Sonam Doma Bhutia confirmed the deaths and stated that three rescue attempts initially failed due to bad weather and terrain.

Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Tamang-Golay said teams from district administration, police, SDRF, Fire and Emergency Services, and NDRF are working at the site.

The tunnel is part of NHPC's Teesta Stage VI hydroelectric power project; 19 workers from a private company and six from NHPC were at the site when the landslides hit.