TARBELA: All workers were safely evacuated following a water ingress incident during excavation work at the second Bench Connecting Tunnel of the Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project, the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) said on Monday.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!According to a Wapda press release, a section of weak rock mass collapsed during tunnel excavation, allowing water from the Intake Pit to enter the tunnel and the under-construction Power House area.
However, all workers were immediately evacuated to safety, with no injuries or loss of life reported.
Wapda said water from the Intake Pit had been completely drained, and no further water was entering the downstream work areas. Dewatering operations at the under-construction Power House had also been initiated.
Senior Wapda officials, the project engineer and the contractor are jointly assessing the situation to address the challenges arising from the incident and determine the next course of action for the T-5 project.
Clarifying reports circulating about the incident, Wapda said claims regarding the collapse of the T-5 tunnel were incorrect.
The authority emphasised that no damage had occurred to the main tunnel, under-construction Power House, tailrace culvert or switchyard.
