12 workers trapped in under-construction tunnel after landslide in Sikkim

A landslide strikes Sikkim`s Namchi district on Monday, triggering emergency response efforts. Representational pic

At least 12 workers were trapped inside an under-construction road tunnel in Sikkim's Namchi district after a landslide blocked its entrance on Monday afternoon, police said.

The landslide also triggered a suspected gas leak inside the Samardung tunnel, they said.

The gas is believed to be naturally emanating from underground strata or rock formations disturbed by the landslide, they added.

Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), SDRF, police and the Fire and Emergency Services are carrying out the rescue operation, a police officer said.

"Rescue operations are underway, but the operation has been complicated by the presence of gas inside the tunnel.

Several rescue personnel experienced dizziness and lost consciousness while attempting to reach the trapped workers," he said.

"Ambulances have been kept on standby, while rescuers equipped with gas masks are trying to reach the trapped workers inside the tunnel," he added.

The tunnel is being constructed as part of a highway project, officials said.

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