Toxic gases slow rescue ops in South Sikkim tunnel blast, toll reaches 15

Death toll in the South Sikkim tunnel blast at the Teesta Stage-VI Hydel Project reached 15, with 12 workers still missing.

Rescuers faced methane, carbon monoxide, mud, and darkness inside the tunnel at Samardung in South Sikkim.

Three more bodies were recovered on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, raising the toll from previous recoveries.

Rescue teams from NDRF and Coal India Limited used self-contained breathing apparatuses due to high gas levels.

The explosion occurred in Adit-3 of the 15-km-long tunnel connecting Siwarni barrage to Tarkhola powerhouse.