A rock collapse at the Tarbela Dam T-5 Project construction site triggered an emergency on Monday after a sudden flow of water entered an under-construction power house and connecting tunnel, forcing authorities to suspend work and evacuate workers. The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) confirmed that all workers were moved to safety, with no casualties reported.
The incident occurred during excavation work at the Second Bench Connecting Tunnel, where a weak rock mass collapsed and allowed water from the Intake Pit to enter the tunnel and nearby power house area.
Wapda said the emergency response was immediately activated following the collapse. Construction activities were suspended, and workers were directed to move away from the affected areas as a precautionary measure.
Wapda Confirms Water Ingress at Tarbela Construction Site
According to Wapda, water entered the under-construction power house and a tunnel after the rock mass gave way during excavation. The authority confirmed that all workers were safely evacuated and no injuries or loss of life occurred.
The water from the Intake Pit has since been completely drained, and no further water was entering the downstream work areas, the authority said.
Read More: Abdul El-Sayed Makes History With Projected Michigan Senate Victory
Dewatering operations at the under-construction power house have also started, while senior officials and technical teams are assessing the situation to determine whether the incident caused damage to any structures.
Deputy Commissioner Haripur Waseem Ahmed said authorities were examining the condition of the tunnel, power house and other structures in the affected working area.
Wapda officers, the project engineer and the contractor were also assessing the situation and identifying measures required to address any challenges arising from the incident.
Wapda Rejects Reports of Main Tunnel Collapse
Wapda dismissed reports claiming that the main tunnel of the project had collapsed, clarifying that the main tunnel, under-construction power house, tailrace culvert and switchyard had not sustained damage.
The authority reiterated that the incident involved a weak rock mass collapsing during excavation work at the Second Bench Connecting Tunnel.
Meanwhile, a senior district administration official said there was currently no threat of flooding or inundation in areas downstream of Tarbela Dam.
Swabi Administration Warns Citizens About Rising Indus River Levels
Separately, Swabi Deputy Commissioner Nasarullah Khan said additional water had been released from Tarbela Dam due to unavoidable circumstances, which was expected to increase the flow and water level in the Indus River.
He urged residents to avoid bathing, swimming and boating in the river to prevent accidents.
The deputy commissioner also advised citizens to take precautionary measures, protect their families and follow official safety announcements.
He warned the public against spreading or believing unverified information and encouraged residents to consult the administration’s official social media page for authentic updates.
Previous Cofferdam Collapse Delayed T-5 Project
The latest incident comes amid existing challenges facing the hydropower project. Earlier, a government-constituted inquiry committee held the contractor, consultant and Wapda responsible for a previous cofferdam collapse at the 1,530-megawatt project.
The inquiry identified unauthorised design changes made after the contract as one of the major reasons behind the earlier incident.
That collapse contributed to a delay of at least two years and a substantial increase in project costs. The estimated cost rose from Rs82 billion to Rs317 billion, representing an increase of more than 285 per cent.
The project, initially expected to be completed in 2026, had already been rescheduled for completion by June 2028 before Monday’s incident.
Tarbela Extension Project to Add 1,530MW of Electricity
The fifth extension project is designed to add 1,530 megawatts to Pakistan’s electricity generation capacity.
The World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank are financing the project through contributions of $390 million and $300 million, respectively.
Once completed, the expansion will increase Tarbela Dam’s total installed electricity generation capacity from 4,888MW to 6,418MW.
The project is considered an important part of Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen hydropower generation and improve its energy supply. However, previous construction setbacks and the latest incident have raised further questions about its construction timeline and the challenges facing the project.
