An explosion at the construction site of the Diamer Bhasha dam in Gilgit Baltistan (G-B) has resulted in at least four deaths and eight serious injuries, according to reports from Express News. The blast occurred due to explosive materials used in the construction activities.
The victims were immediately taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention. This devastating event happened a day after the government approved the Diamer Basha power generation project, which costs over Rs1.2 trillion. The project aims to generate 4,500MWs of hydropower as part of the Diamer Basha Dam project. The dam component of the project is already under implementation. The Cabinet Committee on Energy had separated the construction into two phases, the dam and power generation facilities.
This tragic incident is the latest in a string of unfortunate events for the power generation sector. Earlier this week, a fire broke out at the camp of a Chinese company managing the construction of a remote hydropower dam in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The pre-dawn blaze destroyed a warehouse complex for the Dasu hydropower project in the Kohistan district. Fortunately, no Chinese engineers, surveyors, or mechanics were injured or killed in the incident.
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Authorities have revealed that an electrical fault was the suspected cause of the fire. These incidents serve as a stark reminder of the risks and challenges involved in large-scale construction projects, particularly in the power generation sector. Despite the numerous safety measures and precautions taken, accidents can still occur, and it is important to continue to implement safety measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
