At least 15 Indian workers trapped after tunnel blast kills 10

By Tora Agarwala

GUWAHATI, ‌India, July ​21 (Reuters) - ​Fifteen Indian workers were feared trapped on Tuesday after a blast caused ‌by a suspected gas leak in a tunnel ⁠at a hydroelectric project in the rugged state of ‌Sikkim killed ten, authorities ‌said.

• Monday's incident took place at state-owned National Hydroelectric Power Corp Ltd's project on the ​Teesta river in the northeastern state's village of Samardung, district official Subash Ghimirey told ⁠Reuters.

• A sudden burst of gas suspected to be methane ​trapped or embedded in rocks in the tunnel caused an explosion that sent out ​dense fumes and toxic ‌gas, NHPC said in a statement.

• Survival chances for the trapped workers ⁠were slim, state disaster management official Rajiv Roka said, as rescuers had to battle the fumes, making ⁠their task difficult.

• At least 25 project workers and officials ​were trapped in the tunnel, NHPC said, a tally that includes the 10 bodies retrieved.

• Photographs on the ‌state government's Facebook page showed rescuers wearing orange hazard suits unloading oxygen ‌cylinders, ropes and other emergency equipment from ⁠a vehicle.

(Reporting by Tora ‌Agarwala in Guwahati; ​Additional reporting by Sethuraman N R; Writing by Shanima Aniyeri; Editing by Clarence ‌Fernandez)

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