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Gangtok: The beautiful hilly area of ​​Sikkim was suddenly engulfed in screams and terror on Monday afternoon. A horrifying accident came to light in Samardung located in Jholunge of Namchi district. A massive landslide suddenly occurred near the under-construction tunnel of Teesta Stage-VI Hydroelectric Project of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC). In the blink of an eye, the heavy influx of stones and debris completely blocked the main entrance of the tunnel, trapping many workers inside. District Administration Sikkim Landslide has so far confirmed the death of seven people, while several agencies are continuously carrying out rescue operations to rescue the people trapped inside the tunnel. The biggest concern is that a possible gas leak inside the tunnel has made the relief operation extremely risky. Every passing hour is increasing both hope and danger for the workers trapped inside.

How did the accident happen? The tunnel was closed within a few minutes

According to District Collector Anupa Tamling, by the time the administration received the news of this devastation at around 3.40 pm on Monday afternoon, it was too late. The entrance of the tunnel under construction in Samardung area was completely blocked due to huge amount of rock and debris falling. Work was going on inside the tunnel at the time of the accident. Inside the tunnel, a total of 27 lives, including 21 employees of the contractor company 'Patel Engineering' and 6 employees of NHPC, were trapped in a dark chamber. Till now, the death of 7 people has been confirmed in this accident, whose bodies have been sent to the district hospitals of Singtam and Namchi. However, the actual number of people trapped inside has not been officially confirmed yet.

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Shadow of invisible time: The dreadful mystery of poisonous gas inside the tunnel

The biggest and shocking turn in this rescue operation came when the teams engaged in removing the debris had to face an invisible enemy. Due to the landslide, the rocks and layers below the ground have been so affected that suddenly a massive leakage of some unknown natural gas has started inside the tunnel. This poisonous gas has now become a curse for the employees trapped inside. The situation has become so bad that the rescue workers who were clearing the debris and making way for entry, themselves started getting affected by this gas. A senior police officer told PTI that as soon as they reached near the debris, many brave rescue workers suddenly started feeling dizzy and fell unconscious on the spot. This invisible threat has turned the entire rescue operation into a very sensitive and life-threatening mission.

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Mahamission 'Zindagi': The country's biggest agencies arrived with army-like promptness

Now the most powerful rescue agencies of the country have taken charge to safely bring out the 27 people trapped inside the tunnel at any cost. Teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local district police and Fire and Emergency Services are working round the clock under the supervision of Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA). Dozens of ambulances have been kept on standby at the scene. But, the biggest challenge is to deal with the poisonous gas, for which a special rescue team has now been called as an emergency from the neighboring state of West Bengal. This special team has brought with itself modern gas masks and high-tech gas-protection equipment.

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Time is short and danger is great: Will the secret path of the tunnel save lives?

As the clock is moving forward, the danger of decreasing oxygen level and increasing poisonous gas inside the tunnel is becoming deeper. Rescue workers wearing gas masks are continuously trying to break through the debris, but their path is being blocked at every step due to heavy debris and continuously falling mud. The administration and family members are holding their breath as to whether these agencies will be able to break the cycle of poisonous gas in time? This war going on in this dark tunnel of Samardung has become a very exciting and scary story of not only removing the debris, but also giving life back to 27 people who were in the jaws of death.

Big question on hydro project

This tunnel is part of NHPC's Teesta Stage-VI Hydroelectric Project, which is among the important energy projects of Sikkim. In view of the frequent landslides and geological instability in hilly areas, questions are now being raised on the safety arrangements and risk management of such projects. Experts believe that there is a need to further strengthen geological monitoring, gas detection systems and emergency evacuation plans during construction work in such areas.

Anxiety is increasing every moment, hope still remains

Efforts are continuing to reach the employees trapped inside the tunnel. But the debris as well as a possible gas leak has made the relief operation more challenging. The administration says that the priority is to reach the trapped people safely and get them out as soon as possible. Now the eyes of the entire state are fixed on this rescue operation. Will rescue teams be able to reach all the workers trapped inside the tunnel in time, or will the gas and debris make the operation more difficult?

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