The Indian authorities have communicated this Wednesday that the death toll has risen to 20 after the collapse caused by a landslide in a tunnel under construction located in the Namchi district, in the state of Sikkim, in the northeast of the country.
The incident occurred on Monday around 3:00 PM (local time) and, for now, the exact causes of the event are being investigated. Some workers have reported that just before the landslide, a loud explosion was heard inside the tunnel, while the search and rescue teams continue their work in the area despite numerous obstacles.
Initially, estimates pointed to around a dozen dead among the workers who were trapped when the landslide blocked access to the infrastructure.
The rescue efforts have been hindered from the start by a methane leak generated after the avalanche, according to the NDTV network.
This situation has caused several members of the emergency teams to suffer dizziness and fainting during the operations. The authorities estimate that there would still be at least five people trapped waiting to be located and evacuated.