Water Floods Tarbela T-5 Tunnel, Work SuspendedPakistan

A Wapda spokesperson said the water had since been completely drained from the intake pit and that dewatering of the under-construction powerhouse had begun. No further water was entering the work sites on the downstream side, the spokesperson added.

Senior Wapda officers, consultants and the contractor are assessing the situation so that any challenge facing the project can be addressed, according to the statement. The authority dismissed reports circulating that Tunnel 5 had collapsed as incorrect, saying the main tunnel, the under-construction powerhouse, the tailrace culvert and the switchyard had suffered no damage.

The deputy commissioner of Haripur said separately that part of the protective embankment at the T-5 intake broke after a girder fell. He said all foreign and Pakistani workers had been evacuated safely, adding that one local worker who was submerged in the tunnel was pulled out by people at the scene.

Sources said work at the Tarbela T-5 project in Haripur had been suspended for an indefinite period after the incident, pending an inquiry into what happened.

Wapda has also issued a notification about discharges downstream of Tarbela Dam in the Indus River. According to the notification, discharges will remain above 150,000 cusecs around the clock, and all concerned have been told to make the necessary precautionary arrangements, keeping in view the safety of the public.

The Tarbela 5th Extension is one of Pakistan’s major hydropower projects under construction, aimed at adding generation capacity at the country’s largest dam. Monday’s incident is a setback for the project, and the coming days will show how quickly work can resume once the inquiry and safety checks are complete.