Work in full swing to plug crater at Tarbela project site after rock collapse

Civil work to repair a crater caused by a rock mass collapse at the Tarbela Dam 5th Extension Hydropower Project (T-5) is currently underway. Engineers and project workers are working around the clock to ensure the project is completed on schedule, according to an official source at the site. On Monday, a weak rock mass collapsed during excavation of the 2nd Bench Connecting Tunnel, allowing water from the intake pit to enter the tunnel and powerhouse area of the T-5 project.

All non-essential workers were safely evacuated, and water from the intake pit has since been fully drained. No damage was reported to the main tunnel, powerhouse, tailrace culvert, or switchyard. The crater is expected to be plugged and the powerhouse to be dewatered within a week using heavy-duty pumping machines. Initial assessments were completed and reports are being submitted to stakeholders every six hours.

The causes and losses of the incident will be thoroughly investigated and submitted to the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Water Resources, and other stakeholders in the coming days. Geologists from Wapda and contractors have confirmed there was no disruption or damage to the tunnel before or after the incident, and that the plug used to divert water from the intake pit to the tunnel is intact.